China Is Accelerating Its Nuclear Buildup Over Rising Fears of U.S. Conflict

[dalton99a]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-is-accelerating-its-nuclear-buildup-over-rising-fears-of-u-s-conflict-11649509201

China Is Accelerating Its Nuclear Buildup Over Rising Fears of U.S. Conflict
Beijing believes U.S. could turn to nuclear weapons in a war; Ukraine invasion underscores the value of a robust arsenal
By Alastair Gale
Apr. 9, 2022 9:00 am ET

The Chinese nuclear effort long predates Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the U.S.’s wariness about getting directly involved in the war there has likely reinforced Beijing’s decision to put greater emphasis on developing nuclear weapons as a deterrent, some of these people say. Chinese leaders see a stronger nuclear arsenal as a way to deter the U.S. from getting directly involved in a potential conflict over Taiwan.

U.S. government and private sector estimates put China’s nuclear arsenal in the low hundreds of warheads, far below the roughly 4,000 warheads held by both Russia and the U.S. The Pentagon says it now expects China to have 1,000 warheads by the end of this decade.

Satellite images taken during January show the last 45 of the temporary covers over each of 120 suspected missile silos near the city of Yumen have been removed, suggesting the most sensitive work at all of the silos has been completed, said Matt Korda, a senior research associate for the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists in Washington. At two other smaller silo fields in western China, work is at earlier stages.

The silos at each of the sites are large enough for a new long-range Chinese missile known as the DF-41 that was put into service in 2020 and is capable of hitting the U.S. mainland, analysts say. Tests of missiles that are launched from aircraft and can carry nuclear warheads also give Beijing a stronger chance of being able to retaliate if it is hit first in a nuclear attack.


Yumen missile silo field
Source: Federation of American Scientists (silos); ESRI (image)
Emma Brown/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL


Early construction in June 2021 at a site near Yumen, China, believed to be one of 120 underground silos to potentially hold nuclear-tipped missiles. Photo: Planet Labs PBC


Construction on the suspected missile-silo site near Yumen, China, appeared to be advancing in July 2021. Photo: Planet Labs PBC


Work on the suspected missile-silo site near Yumen, China, appeared to be broadening in September 2021. Photo: Planet Labs PBC


The removal of a temporary cover from the suspected missile silo in Yumen, China, pictured in February 2022, suggests the most sensitive work was completed, military analysts say. Photo: Planet Labs PBC

[Srkdqltr]

1. China wants to do some country invading of its own beyond what it already has.

[Lovie777]

2. China is just like Russia and the RWers here in the USA . . ..

constant gaslighting.

[BeyondGeography]

3. China will either look like The Philippines or Japan by 2035

My money’s on the former. About 70 percent of the country doesn’t make it past 8th grade and their Supreme Leader has let himself get consumed by geopolitics.

[Irish_Dem]

4. Beijing now knows that threatening nukes will let them do whatever they want.

They are getting ready for the invasion of Taiwan and other areas.