CHINA’S arsenal of nukes is “rapidly expanding” in response to what they see is a threat from the US, experts claim.
Those close to the Chinese leadership’s thinking say it plans to have more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by the end of the decade.
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It comes as worrying satellite images show more than 100 suspected missile silos in China‘s remote western region.
The silos, military experts say, could house nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reaching the US.
They say the build-up comes as China fears being toppled by Washington and have been spooked by anti-Chinese rhetoric under the Trump and Biden administrations, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
American military officials fear the move could mean Beijing is preparing a surprise nuke strike on the US – something China flatly denies.
Beijing is shrouding its nuclear power ambition under the guise of updating its outdated arsenal and has promised a build-up no larger than necessary to protect the country’s security interest.
It doesn’t want to be “pushed around” by the US, an Communist Party insider claims, pointing to Ukraine and its decision to dump its nukes in exchange for security assurances from the US and Russia following the fall of the Soviet Union.
“Ukraine lost its nuclear deterrence in the past and that’s why it got into a situation like this” a retired Chinese military officer with tied to the nuclear programme told WSJ.
An insider with close links to the Chinese leadership said the strategic change in nuclear plans was because its “inferior nuclear capability could only lead to growing U.S. pressure” on Beijing.
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Beijing denies its nuclear policy has changed, however, satellite images of the secret missile silos in Yumen suggest otherwise.
The images taken in January show the last 45 temporary covers have been removed from the 120-missile-silo-strong facility, suggesting the most sensitive work had been completed, said Matt Korda, a senior researcher at a nuclear weapons think tank in Washington.
Work on the field began between March and October 2020, according to US intelligence.
The silos are big enough to house new long-range Chinese missiles known as DF-41s.
China has declined to answer questions about the site while President Xi Jinping urged officials at the facility to “accelerate the construction of advanced strategic deterrent systems” – an ominous reference to nuclear weapons.
The deadly weapons have become China’s weapon of choice because they are capable of hitting the US mainland, analysts say, and Beijing has been spurred on by Washington’s reluctance to take Russia head on over Ukraine because of its nukes.
But Beijing has denied such claims.
“On the assertions made by U.S. officials that China is expanding dramatically its nuclear capabilities, first, let me say that this is untrue,” Fu Cong, director general of the Foreign Ministry said.
He says Beijing is working to ensure its nuclear deterrent meets the minimal level necessary for national defence.
Some security analysts say China might be embolden to use nukes to deter the US from joining any conflict over Taiwan.
But there is a massive downside to all this, professor Christopher Twomey, from the US Naval Postgraduate School said.
“Large-scale conventional military involvement over Taiwan could quickly lead one side or the other to talk themselves into thinking nuclear use may improve the situation for their side,” he said.
“No matter how the situation develops in the future, the world will be more confrontational,” the retired Chinese military official said.
“Under such circumstances, China definitely needs to maintain nuclear deterrence.”
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