BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - A new report by the U.S. Defense Department on the military and security developments in China warns about the alarming build-up of nuclear weapons by the Communist regime.
The Pentagon estimates that China already possesses more than 600 operational nuclear warheads as of mid-2024 and the number will cross 1,000 by 2030.
'We also talk in the report about not just the expansion in numbers, but also the increase in quality. We talk about the growing technological sophistication [and] the increasing diversity of China's nuclear arsenal,' said Michael Chase, U.S.deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, Taiwan and Mongolia.
Decades ago, similar U.S. reports detailed China's small and outdated nuclear weapons capabilities. That has changed.
'[What] we've seen over time is that they've expanded to a nuclear triad, with the PLA Navy having ballistic missile submarines, conducting deterrence patrols, as we cover in the report, and that the PLA Air Force has also regained a nuclear deterrence and strike mission with the addition of nuclear-capable bombers,' Chase said.
There is also an increase in diversity and capabilities such as precision strike capable missiles with lower yield nuclear warheads.
'That gives the PRC a wider range of options in terms of the kinds of nuclear deterrence operations they would conduct, as well as ... kind of having more rungs on the escalation ladder in terms of how they could conduct nuclear operations,' said Michael Chase.
According to the report, China's public defense budget increased in inflation-adjusted prices to $220 billion for 2023 and allows the People's Liberation Army to focus on modernizing its weapons and equipment, recruitment and retaining personnel, and enhancing the military's strategic capacities.
Chase said China continues to support Iran and its proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in the Middle East.
He also said there is a bargain between the Houthis and China, where if the Houthis don't attack Chinese ships, Beijing will continue to provide diplomatic and political support to the Houthis.
China has made public its goals for modernization of the PLA. China plans to complete the modernization efforts by 2035, while 2049 remains a target to become a 'world-class military.'
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