The Pentagon has warned that China has more than 400 nuclear warheads and has nearly doubled its nuclear arsenal in just two years.
At the same time, its armed forces began to behave more often “dangerously” and “unprofessionally” militarily in relation to the United States and its allies in the region, especially to Taiwan.
The Pentagon’s annual report to Congress, China’s Military Power, says the pace of expansion of China’s nuclear arsenal could lead to Beijing having around 1,500 warheads by 2035.
At the same time, the US nuclear arsenal, which has approximately 3,800 warheads in active status, will significantly exceed China’s.
China’s People’s Liberation Army Missile Forces launched approximately 135 ballistic missiles in 2021 for testing and training purposes.
“This is more than all other countries combined, except for the use of ballistic missiles in conflict zones,” the report emphasizes.
Beijing also continued construction of three intercontinental ballistic missile mine sites that will house at least 300 new ICBM mines.
The Pentagon’s report is based on information about China’s military capabilities collected no later than December 2021. But it also takes into account some important events in 2022, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August, a senior military official said.