China asks USA to adopt a NFU nuclear policy? What is a ‘no first use’ (NFU) policy?

China's "no first use" (NFU) nuclear policy is a commitment that it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons in any conflict but would only use them in retaliation if attacked with nuclear weapons. This stance makes China unique among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, as it is the only one that has made such a pledge.
Recently, China has urged other nuclear powers, including the United States, to adopt a similar NFU policy.In a formal proposal submitted in Geneva, China argued that the NFU policy is becoming increasingly important for global arms control. However, officials from the U.S. and its allies view China's push as an attempt to deflect criticism from its own rapid nuclear build-up. This build-up includes expanding its arsenal, building new missile silos, and modernizing its delivery systems, which could elevate China to a nuclear power on par with the U.S. and Russia.

A "No First Use" (NFU) policy is a commitment made by a country with nuclear weapons that it will not use them as a first strike in any conflict. This means that the country promises only to use nuclear weapons in retaliation if it is attacked first with nuclear weapons.
In simpler terms, under an NFU policy, a country pledges not to start a nuclear war but reserves the right to respond with nuclear weapons if it is attacked with them. This policy is meant to reduce the chances of nuclear conflict by assuring other countries that the NFU country won't initiate a nuclear attack. However, it still maintains a deterrent by promising retaliation if nuclear weapons are used against it.

Nine countries— the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel—are known to have nuclear weapons.

A nuclear deterrent is a strategy used by countries with nuclear weapons to prevent or discourage other countries from attacking them. The idea is that if a country has nuclear weapons and is willing to use them in retaliation, it deters or discourages potential enemies from launching an attack, particularly a nuclear one.
The concept relies on the fear of mutually assured destruction (MAD), which means that if one country launches a nuclear attack, the other country will respond with its own nuclear weapons, leading to devastating consequences for both sides. Because of this threat, countries are less likely to initiate an attack, knowing it could lead to their own destruction.
In essence, a nuclear deterrent is like a warning signal: "If you attack us, we'll respond with nuclear force, and it will be catastrophic for both of us." This threat is meant to keep peace by making the cost of war too high to consider.

Aah, a Frederick Forsyth fan. is a 1984 thriller novel written by British author Frederick Forsyth. The story revolves around a covert operation by the Soviet Union to detonate a nuclear bomb in the United Kingdom in a way that would make it appear as if it was the result of an accident or mishandling by Western powers. The goal is to destabilize the UK and influence its political landscape.
The title "The Fourth Protocol" refers to a fictional secret protocol, which is an agreement or understanding between nations to prevent the use of nuclear weapons in this covert manner. In the novel, breaking this protocol could lead to catastrophic consequences and international instability.
In , Frederick Forsyth creates a fictional world where several "protocols" are understood to be secret agreements or understandings related to the handling of nuclear weapons. Although Forsyth doesn't detail each protocol explicitly, they are implied to be key agreements that nuclear powers have made to avoid certain types of nuclear conflict or misuse. Here's a general idea of what these fictional constructs are meant to represent: