China is accelerating the expansion and modernization of its weapons arsenal more rapidly than any other nation possessing nuclear capabilities. Beijing has labeled assertions of a military buildup as attempts to “smear and defame China and deliberately mislead the international community.”
Recently, US President Donald Trump indicated he might be formulating a strategy for denuclearization involving China and Russia. However, the draft Pentagon report, reviewed by Reuters, suggested that Beijing seems uninterested.
“We continue to see no appetite from Beijing for pursuing such measures or more comprehensive arms control discussions,” stated the report.
Specifically, the report indicated that China likely deployed over 100 solid-fueled DF-31 ICBMs in silo fields near its border with Mongolia—the latest addition to a series of silo locations. The Pentagon had previously acknowledged the existence of these fields but had not disclosed the missile count.
Neither the Pentagon nor China’s embassy in Washington has provided immediate feedback on the request for comments.
The draft Pentagon report did not specify any potential targets for the newly positioned missiles. US officials observed that the report may undergo changes before being presented to lawmakers.
The document noted that China’s nuclear warhead inventory was still in the low 600s as of 2024, reflecting “a slower rate of production compared to previous years.”
However, it was also pointed out that China’s nuclear expansion is ongoing, projecting over 1,000 warheads by 2030.
China maintains it follows a “nuclear strategy of self-defense and upholds a no-first-use policy.”
Trump has expressed a desire for the United States to resume nuclear weapons testing, though the specifics remain uncertain.
The extensive Pentagon report outlined China’s military advancements, indicating that “China anticipates its capability to fight and win a war over Taiwan by the end of 2027.”
China, which considers the democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory, has never ruled out the use of force to achieve “reunification” with the island.
Beijing is refining its military strategies to potentially take Taiwan by “brute force,” with one option possibly involving strikes 1,500-2,000 nautical miles from Chinese shores.
“In sufficient volume, these strikes could significantly challenge and disrupt US presence in or around a conflict in the Asia-Pacific region,” the report concluded.
