China Continues Nuclear Buildup With 500 Warheads, US Says
- US estimates an arsenal of 1,000 Chinese warheads by 2030
- Xi’s goal for ‘world class’ military status is cited in report
Visitors walk past a model of China's first nuclear missile at the Military Museum in Beijing.
Photographer: Teh Eng Koon/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
China continues efforts to modernize, diversify and expand its nuclear arsenal, with about 500 operational warheads today and more than 1,000 likely by 2030, the Pentagon said.
In an annual report to Congress on military and security developments in China, the Defense Department said it expects China to continue its expansion and modernization efforts through 2035 in service President Xi Jinping’s objective of achieving “world class” status for the country’s military by 2049.