US Department of Defense: "China's Nuclear Warheads Doubled in 2 Years... Expected to Exceed 1,500 by 2035"

Expected to Reach 400 Units by 2030... Production Surges
"Training Increases in Preparation for Taiwan Invasion and Contingency on the Korean Peninsula"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. Department of Defense has warned of a rapid nuclear force buildup, stating that China's nuclear warhead count has more than doubled in just two years to 400 warheads, exceeding previous estimates. It projected that if China continues to increase its nuclear warheads at the current pace, it could possess over 1,500 warheads by 2035.

On the 29th (local time), the U.S. Department of Defense announced in its '2022 China Military Power Report' that China's nuclear warhead count has surpassed 400 and is increasing at a very rapid rate. Previously, the 2020 China Military Power Report by the U.S. Department of Defense estimated that China possessed 200 nuclear warheads and projected that it would have 400 warheads by 2030, doubling the amount.

The U.S. Department of Defense stated, "China has reached its goal of doubling its nuclear warhead count in just two years, and if it continues to expand its stockpile at the current pace, it could have approximately 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035." It warned, "China poses the most consequential and systematic challenge to U.S. national security and seeks to possess greater nuclear capabilities."

It also pointed out that China has constructed more than 300 additional silos for intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches and is transitioning to a 'Launch On Warning (LOW)' posture, which enables immediate retaliation upon detecting an enemy missile attack.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Defense analyzed that China's ballistic missile testing and hypersonic missile force enhancement are progressing rapidly. The department emphasized, "China conducted 135 ballistic missile tests last year, which is more than the total number of ballistic missile tests conducted worldwide combined." It added, "By July last year, the flight distance of China's hypersonic missiles exceeded 40,000 km, the longest flight distance among all ground-attack weapons globally."

The U.S. Department of Defense also expressed concerns that these force enhancements could significantly destabilize the situation in Northeast Asia in the future. It warned, "The Chinese military aims to complete military modernization by 2027 and may subsequently carry out air and maritime blockades against Taiwan, as well as amphibious operations to occupy the entire island." It added, "The military power gap between China and Taiwan continues to widen."

Concerns were also raised about the possibility of Chinese intervention in the event of a crisis on the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. Department of Defense explained, "China can order operations from the Northern Theater Command, which is responsible for the border area with North Korea, in case of an emergency." It elaborated, "Such operations may include border control to manage refugee inflows, military intervention to secure North Korea's weapons of mass destruction (WMD), or to maintain North Korea as a buffer zone."