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Pentagon report warns China is expanding its nuclear weapons arsenal faster than anticipated
Posted 43m ago43 minutes ago
The Pentagon's new report has warned that China's nuclear expansion is significantly outpacing its estimates from last year. (AP: Mark Schiefelbein)
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article
The Pentagon has sharply increased its estimate of China's projected nuclear weapons arsenal over the coming years, saying Beijing could have 700 warheads by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.
Key points:
In its wide-ranging annual report to Congress on China's military, the Pentagon did not say how many weapons China has today, but a year ago it said the number was in the "low 200s" and was likely to double by the end of this decade.
While the report's new estimates would still be significantly smaller than the current US nuclear stockpile, they represent a significant change in the US projections.
The US has 3,750 nuclear weapons and has no plans to increase that.
As recently as 2003, the US total was about 10,000.
In the report, the Pentagon also reiterated concerns about increasing pressure on Taiwan, an island China sees as a breakaway province, and China's chemical and biological programs and technological advancements.
It put particular emphasis on China's growing nuclear arsenal.
"Over the next decade, the PRC aims to modernise, diversify, and expand its nuclear forces," the report said, referring to the People's Republic of China.
It added that China had started building at least three intercontinental ballistic missile silo fields.
Washington has repeatedly called on China to join it and Russia in a new arms control treaty.(Reuters: David Gray)
"Whether China follows through with these estimates from the United States will depend in great part on the policies and actions of the United States," Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said.
US top general weighs in on Taiwan
Beijing has vowed to bring fiercely democratic Taiwan, which it considers its "sacred territory", under its rule and has not renounced the use of force.
China's flights into Taiwan airspace
The People's Liberation Army of China has sent warplanes into Taiwanese airspace on 199 days this year. Here's why.
Read more
The Pentagon report renewed concerns about China's increasingly muscular military and its development of options to take Taiwan, one of several scenarios the US military cautioned Beijing could pursue.
However, a senior US defence official, who briefed reporters, declined to speculate about whether that scenario was likely or to say if they saw a near- or even a medium-term risk of armed conflict between Beijing and Taipei.
On the long list of potential Taiwan scenarios outlined in the briefing, the US official cited the possibility that China could work on options for everything from a joint blockade campaign against Taiwan to a full-scale amphibious invasion.
It could carry out air and missile strikes or cyber attacks.
China could also potentially seize offshore islands. The official declined to say which one of these contingencies was most likely or if any were likely at all.
However, the Pentagon has voiced concern about China's pursuit of capabilities that would enable such actions.
Xi is gambling on war with Taiwan
When Taiwan's foreign minister warns of a fight to the end in a looming war with China, we should pay attention. Taiwan isn't waiting for mainland China to attack; as far as it is concerned, the battle has already begun.
Read more
"Based on my analysis of China, I don't think that it is likely in the near future — being defined as, you know, six, 12, maybe 24 months, that kind of window," General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said when asked if China was preparing to make a move on Taiwan in the near future.
The Pentagon report added a section on China's biological weapons and potential dual use, but did not look at the origins of COVID-19.
There has been increased focus on China's chemical and biological capabilities after COVID-19 was first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
US intelligence agencies said last week they may never be able to identify the origins of the pandemic, as they released a detailed version of their review of whether the virus came from animal-to-human transmission or was leaked from a lab.
China has consistently denied allegations that the virus was leaked from a specialist laboratory in Wuhan.
ABC/Wires
www.abc.net.au
Posted 43m ago43 minutes ago
The Pentagon's new report has warned that China's nuclear expansion is significantly outpacing its estimates from last year. (AP: Mark Schiefelbein)
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article
The Pentagon has sharply increased its estimate of China's projected nuclear weapons arsenal over the coming years, saying Beijing could have 700 warheads by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.
Key points:
- A year ago, the Pentagon's report said China had about 200 nuclear warheads and expected its stockpile to double by the end the decade
- It now estimates Chinese nuclear warheads could increase to 700 within six years
- The report reiterated the Pentagon's concerns about China's increasing its pressure on Taiwan
In its wide-ranging annual report to Congress on China's military, the Pentagon did not say how many weapons China has today, but a year ago it said the number was in the "low 200s" and was likely to double by the end of this decade.
While the report's new estimates would still be significantly smaller than the current US nuclear stockpile, they represent a significant change in the US projections.
The US has 3,750 nuclear weapons and has no plans to increase that.
As recently as 2003, the US total was about 10,000.
In the report, the Pentagon also reiterated concerns about increasing pressure on Taiwan, an island China sees as a breakaway province, and China's chemical and biological programs and technological advancements.
It put particular emphasis on China's growing nuclear arsenal.
"Over the next decade, the PRC aims to modernise, diversify, and expand its nuclear forces," the report said, referring to the People's Republic of China.
It added that China had started building at least three intercontinental ballistic missile silo fields.
Washington has repeatedly called on China to join it and Russia in a new arms control treaty.(Reuters: David Gray)
"Whether China follows through with these estimates from the United States will depend in great part on the policies and actions of the United States," Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said.
China said its arsenal was dwarfed by those of the United States and Russia, and that it was ready for dialogue, but only if Washington reduced its nuclear stockpile to China's level.
US top general weighs in on Taiwan
Beijing has vowed to bring fiercely democratic Taiwan, which it considers its "sacred territory", under its rule and has not renounced the use of force.
China's flights into Taiwan airspace
The People's Liberation Army of China has sent warplanes into Taiwanese airspace on 199 days this year. Here's why.
Read more
The Pentagon report renewed concerns about China's increasingly muscular military and its development of options to take Taiwan, one of several scenarios the US military cautioned Beijing could pursue.
However, a senior US defence official, who briefed reporters, declined to speculate about whether that scenario was likely or to say if they saw a near- or even a medium-term risk of armed conflict between Beijing and Taipei.
On the long list of potential Taiwan scenarios outlined in the briefing, the US official cited the possibility that China could work on options for everything from a joint blockade campaign against Taiwan to a full-scale amphibious invasion.
It could carry out air and missile strikes or cyber attacks.
China could also potentially seize offshore islands. The official declined to say which one of these contingencies was most likely or if any were likely at all.
However, the Pentagon has voiced concern about China's pursuit of capabilities that would enable such actions.
Separately, the top US general said on Wednesday that China was unlikely to try to militarily seize Taiwan in the next couple of years.
Xi is gambling on war with Taiwan
When Taiwan's foreign minister warns of a fight to the end in a looming war with China, we should pay attention. Taiwan isn't waiting for mainland China to attack; as far as it is concerned, the battle has already begun.
Read more
"Based on my analysis of China, I don't think that it is likely in the near future — being defined as, you know, six, 12, maybe 24 months, that kind of window," General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said when asked if China was preparing to make a move on Taiwan in the near future.
The Pentagon report added a section on China's biological weapons and potential dual use, but did not look at the origins of COVID-19.
There has been increased focus on China's chemical and biological capabilities after COVID-19 was first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
US intelligence agencies said last week they may never be able to identify the origins of the pandemic, as they released a detailed version of their review of whether the virus came from animal-to-human transmission or was leaked from a lab.
China has consistently denied allegations that the virus was leaked from a specialist laboratory in Wuhan.
ABC/Wires
Pentagon warns China is growing its nuclear weapons arsenal faster than predicted
A Pentagon report indicates China is expanding its nuclear arsenal much faster than anticipated, saying Beijing could have 700 warheads by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.
www.abc.net.au
