China is expanding its nuclear force much faster than US officials predicted just a year ago, highlighting a broad and accelerating build-up of military muscle designed to enable Beijing to match or surpass US global power by mid-century, according to a new Pentagon report.The number of Chinese nuclear warheads could increase to 700 within six years, the report said, and may top 1000 by 2030. The report did not say how many weapons China has today, but a year ago the Pentagon said the number was in the "low 200s" and was likely to double by the end of this decade.The US, by comparison, has 3750 nuclear weapons and has no plans to increase. As recently as 2003 the US total was about 10,000. The Biden administration is undertaking a comprehensive review of its nuclear policy and has not said how that might be influenced by its China concerns.
Load More
Load More