China has an estimated 294 megatons of thermonuclear deterrence
Rankings of world thermonuclear powers by megatons of firepower:
1. Russia - 1,273 megatons
2. United States - 570 megatons
3. China - 294 megatons (China has over half the nuclear firepower of the United States)
4. France - 55 megatons
5. Britain - 16 megatons
References:
Russia:
NTI: Russia - Nuclear Disarmament
United States:
NTI: United States - Nuclear Disarmament
China:
NTI: China - Nuclear Disarmament
France:
NTI: France - Nuclear Disarmament
Britain:
NTI: United Kingdom - Nuclear Disarmament
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China's "possible warhead assembly and production facilities" (source: NTI)
NTI: China - Nuclear Disarmament
People's Republic of China (PRC)
NPT Nuclear Weapon State
1. Arsenal Size:
Most opaque of the nuclear weapons state; limited open source information.
Operational strategic warheads: ~176 (Warheads in stockpile: 240)[1]
2. Key Delivery Systems:[2,3,4,5]
* Land-based missiles: Approximately 120.(ICBM: DF-4, DF-5A DF-31, DF-31A; MRBM: DF-3A, DF-21)
* Aircraft: 20 (Hong-6)
* SLBM: 1 Xia-class sub carrying12 JL-1s, never fully deployed; 2 Jin-class subs deployed, 1 under development can each carry 12 JL-2; however the JL-2s have not yet been deployed
* Cruise missiles: DH-10 (nuclear capable) 50-250 deployed
* No credible evidence to confirm that non-strategic weapons still remain in operational force
3. Estimated Destructive Power: 294[6]
4. Military Fissile Material Stockpile: (estimates)
Plutonium: 4 mt (+/- 20 %)[7]
HEU: 20 mt [8]
5. Disarmament and Commitments to Reduce Arsenal Size:
Legal obligation to pursue global disarmament under Article VI of the NPT[9]
Future Commitments:
In support of verifiable FMCT negotiation. The treaty should not cover existing stockpiles[10]
6. Nuclear Weapons Policies
1. Nuclear testing:
* Observed nuclear testing moratorium since July 1996.[12]
* Signed but not ratified CTBT[13]
2. Use of nuclear weapons:
* Adopted no-first use policy[14,15]
* Negative Security Assurances to NWFZ treaty members:
Committed not to use nuclear weapons against members of:
Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, and Pelindaba. Has not signed Bangkok, but reiterates its support.[16]
* Acknowledged the commitments of the NWS to negative security assurances in UN Security Council Resolution 984 (1995).[17]
* Expressed its support for legally binding unconditional negative security assurances.[18]
Sources:
[1] Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2008," Nuclear Notebook, Natural Resources Defense Council, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, July/August 2008, pp 42-45,
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
[2] Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2008," Nuclear Notebook, Natural Resources Defense Council, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, July/August 2008, pp 42-45,
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
[3] Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat, National Air Space Intelligence Center, April 2009,
Federation of American Scientists.
[4] Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2008, US Department of Defense,
The Official Home of the Department of Defense.
[5] Chinese Nuclear Forces, Strategic Security Blog, Federation of American Scientists,
Federation of American Scientists.
[6] Eliminating Nuclear Threats, ICNND Report,
International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament.
[7] International Panel on Fissile Materials, Global Fissile Material Report 2009,
IPFM International Panel on Fissile Materials - Mission.
[8] International Panel on Fissile Materials, Global Fissile Material Report 2009,
IPFM International Panel on Fissile Materials - Mission.
[9] Inventory of International Nonproliferation Organizations & Regimes,
Nuclear Threat Initiative: Home Page.
[10] Statement by Ambassador Jingye Cheng to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, 17 May 2006,
Reaching Critical Will.
[11] Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2008, US Department of Defense,
The Official Home of the Department of Defense.
[12] CTBTO website, Nuclear Testing page,
Home: CTBTO Preparatory Commission.
[13] Inventory of International Nonproliferation Organizations & Regimes,
Nuclear Threat Initiative: Home Page.
[14] Working Paper Submitted by China to the 2010 NPT Review Conference, 6 May 2010,
Reaching Critical Will.
[15] Statement by the Chinese Delegation on the Issue of Security Assurances at the Third Session of the Preparatory committee for the 2010 NPT Review Conference, 7 May 2009,
Reaching Critical Will.
[16] NTI Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Tutorial Protocol Chart,
Nuclear Threat Initiative: Home Page.
[17] NTI Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Tutorial, Chapter 3, Security Assurances,
Nuclear Threat Initiative: Home Page.
[18] Working Paper Submitted by China to the 2010 NPT Review Conference, 6 May 2010,
Reaching Critical Will.