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The statement comes amid escalating tensions between the United States and China and Washington is trying to lead Beijing to its New START nuclear arms control treaty with Moscow.
In its annual report to the National Assembly on the Chinese military, the Pentagon claimed that China now has around 200 nuclear warheads. This is the first time the US military has released this number. Meanwhile, the American Federation of Scientists (FAS) estimates that China has about 320 nuclear warheads.
According to the Pentagon, Beijing will double the number of nuclear warheads mentioned above in the next 10 years, thanks to factors such as having total material possession without the need to manufacture more.
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) expert Chad Sbragia also made similar comments and expressed concern about these figures.
The Pentagon confirmed that China plans to double the number of nuclear warheads in the next 10 years. Photo: Reuters
Before that, earlier this year, the blade Global times (China) confirmed that Beijing needs to increase the number of nuclear warheads to 1,000 warheads soon.
Beijing has said that it does not want to join New START, especially since America’s nuclear arsenal is roughly 20 times larger than China’s.
In July, a senior Chinese diplomat announced that Beijing would join talks with Washington and Moscow if Washington cuts its nuclear weapons to the same level as Beijing.
The increase in the number of Chinese nuclear weapons should not be a reason for the United States and Russia not to renew the New START, said Kingston Reif of the Arms Control Association (United States).
High Force (Reuters)
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