In today's world of interdependency and inter-reliance, the United States should know that any decision that may imperil other countries' security outlook will backfire and undermine its own security, a China Daily editorial stated in terms of the US decision to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

Considering that the INF Treaty has been a cornerstone of maintaining strategic equilibrium between the US and Russia, a unilateral withdrawal by the US would no doubt deepen confrontation with Russia and would likely usher in a new Cold War.

The latest decision by the US is another manifestation of its unilateralist tendencies under the current administration. In May, the Donald Trump administration announced its decision to withdraw from another key nuclear agreement — the Iranian nuclear pact, leaving the multilateral deal in tatters and exacerbating tensions between Teheran and Washington.

By back-pedaling on one nuclear treaty after another, the US aims to give itself carte blanche to upgrade its own nuclear arsenal. Such ambitions were clearly stated in the nuclear posture review revealed by the Trump administration in February.

Washington should realize that too much would be at stake if the INF Treaty is abandoned: It would undercut the international efforts at nuclear non-proliferation and trigger a worldwide nuclear arms race, thus worsening the nuclear security of all countries, including the US, the editorial said.