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China pushes largest-ever expansion of nuclear arsenal

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By Oliver HOTHAM

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What a peaceful country. Nobody is going to invade China. Thanks for the arms race.

13 ( +21 / -8 )

“Everybody’s scaaaarrreed!”

…..Chris Rock.

The Chinese are scared. The Americans are scared! The Russians are scared! Lord know any one that f those three have enough nukes to wipe out the planet several times over. Yep, everybody’s scared!

And stupid, too!

12 ( +12 / -0 )

Xi the Pooh loves playing with his little missile.

14 ( +20 / -6 )

And Xi said in a joint statement with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last month that nuclear war "must never be unleashed".

With Putin regularly intimating Russia could use tactical nukes in its invasion of Ukraine, it makes such joint statements too hard to believe. Diminishing any effort Xi is making to assure the world that using nuclear weapons is a red line that must never again be crossed.

With no nation even considering invading mainland China, the reasons for China continuing its massive military buildup which includes becoming the third nation in the world with enough nukes to destroy the world many times over, are murky at best. China says it is for defense but unless they are going to be doing things in the future that would necessitate others defending themselves against China, there is nobody China needs to defend against.

There is no way China can be trusted or believed under Jinping's CCP rule.

Yes, thanks China for starting another arms race and endangering the world at a time when cooperation is needed to battle climate change and rising oceans among other things.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

who is SIPRI thinktank and who is funding them?

follow the money...just another fake new aha hoax?

-21 ( +3 / -24 )

New World Order, Only the strongest survive!? NO, only the Nuke Armed Survives

-9 ( +4 / -13 )

Keep in mind; these are the people that are supposed to "Mediate" the Non-War between Ukraine and Russia

13 ( +16 / -3 )

Perhaps they feel threatened. China 'only' has 410 nukes while the U.S., which is increasingly acting like an enemy, possesses 5,428.

-14 ( +4 / -18 )

Why people are so foolish

when worst comes to worst who cares about the quantity...

ironically, today is 26th April a day when Chernobyl hit the world with all the disaster that came forward. But those people just dont care...

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Those saying we need arms-control treaties without China leading the way are MISTAKEN.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Perhaps they feel threatened. China 'only' has 410 nukes while the U.S., which is increasingly acting like an enemy, possesses 5,428.

Perhaps we need the treaty before China gets to 6000. Perhaps when inspectors get on the ground they find they are already at 6000.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

This is a means to abandon the no 1st use pledge and threaten nuclear strikes against regional targets while holding a retaliatory force in reserve in order to try to intimidate the West into not interfering in an invasion of Taiwan.

The simplest, cheapest response would be to deliver 100 deliverable, survivable thermo-nuclear weapons to Taiwan with the express statement that they would be used to retaliate against an invasion.

Thus isn’t going to happen because it’s escalatory and would violate several UN resolutions on nonproliferation.

So we will have to use other means of deterrence.

But it would be the cheapest way.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The simplest, cheapest response would be to deliver 100 deliverable, survivable thermo-nuclear weapons to Taiwan with the express statement that they would be used to retaliate against an invasion.

Unfortunately the mainland has said that would trigger their go time. This would have been an excellent plan in the 50s and 60s, though, and we have only ourselves to blame in the US for not making it happen.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

China with 350 nuclear warheads. The USA (and Russia) with 6,000. You are either blind or paid by the Pentagon.

What a peaceful country.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

Odds of blockade, and follow-up missile/bomb/shell invasion rapidly rising due to failure of Ukraine proxy war and Russian weapons tech. proliferation to China. Boots on ground not needed, easy to pound into submission.

It's same 'beef', outside interference, only Biden's track record of failures make timing ideal, not to mention US domestic social chaos driven by terrible inflation, high crime, failing economy, rising rates, etc.

Ukraine likely trigger Taiwan's demise. Only possible deterrent - Sub with nuclear missiles, provided by US.

Timing, linked to Ukraine's status, longer war continues, greater odds of China acting out above. Safe to assume Putin, Xi and all their proxies closely coordinating and that would include OPEC and most of global south now.

Global collateral damage of Ukraine proxy war, likely greatest in history, especially for Taiwan.

Salon

Leaked papers reveal reality behind Ukraine war propaganda — and it's grim

Story by Medea Benjamin & Nicolas J.S. Davies

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Arms control, another illusion, meanwhile world's going bankrupt on RECORD military spending and Russia's proliferating at level like NEVER in HISTORY.

Incredible how many new proxy groups are emerging as well, especially Mercenaries and how well armed they are in this global proxy war.

BIG BIZ, operators have more 'discretion', not official state stuff you see, China's building many killer outfits, air/land/sea, no space units yet, but they're coming too!

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

deanzaZZRToday  04:38 pm JST

China with 350 nuclear warheads. The USA (and Russia) with 6,000. You are either blind or paid by the Pentagon.

Other nations are not concerned with the US nuclear stockpile. That's because (1) we don't threaten their use (2) we advoctate controls and (3) we don't invade or threaten to invade in order to make another country ours. You are obviously paid by the CCP.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

So China's nuclear arsenal is now what fraction of that of the war drum banging USA? 10%? well, nearly if they build a few more.

-15 ( +1 / -16 )

Hypocrites.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

CCP is ruining China. Xi the Pooh is another wannabe dictator more focused on amassing power than serving the beautiful people of China.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

China should spend all her time and efforts on becoming a 'normal' country, ie: a democracy, in which the people can elect their leader and legislators, and not be totally repressed by the 93-million strong Communist Party, which watches and eavesdrops every individual, with party-cadres reporting any dissidence.

They should focus on improving the living-standards of the vast majority of the population who are currently just above peasant-status.

An immediate and complete reversal of foreign-policy is vital to stop the absurd expansionist obsessions of the Leader, to de-escalate the tensions in the Indo-China region, to leave Taiwan and all other independent sovereign nations alone, and to abandon the entrapment policy of their 'Belt and Roads' initiative.

Constructing the world's largest nuclear weapons collection should be their last choice - totally and uttetly unnecessary.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Everyone start to get ready for something! Military drills etc! North Korea playing with fireworks, China also build more fireworks!Trust me if God wants all could end in a blink of a eye!!! God create God destroy! wif everyone fire their one nuclear weapon the world will break in half!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

They obviously need it to keep enemies at bay, they don't feel current inventory is still sufficient deterrence.

Look at Russia, war has been going on for a long time yet no significant direct attack on them.

They want the same level of deterrence

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Exactly correct below in 'theory', practically speaking China's simply responding and engaging very complex dynamic geopolitical map to protect THEIR interests.

Ditto above for Russia.

Translation? Takes two or more to TANGO.

US, NATO, G-7, EU, hardly perfectly 'innocent'. Far easier to have good behavior when on top, control global institutions and far more established. It's also obvious global south moving towards China for good reasons.

MartimuranoToday  06:41 pm JST

China should spend all her time and efforts on becoming a 'normal' country, ie: a democracy, in which the people can elect their leader and legislators, and not be totally repressed by the 93-million strong Communist Party, which watches and eavesdrops every individual, with party-cadres reporting any dissidence.

> They should focus on improving the living-standards of the vast majority of the population who are currently just above peasant-status.

> An immediate and complete reversal of foreign-policy is vital to stop the absurd expansionist obsessions of the Leader, to de-escalate the tensions in the Indo-China region, to leave Taiwan and all other independent sovereign nations alone, and to abandon the entrapment policy of their 'Belt and Roads' initiative.

> Constructing the world's largest nuclear weapons collection should be their last choice - totally and uttetly unnecessary.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

There's a very big difference - USA / NATO / EU / G7 countries are Not threatening to invade anyone.

There are only 4 main aggressor-nations in the world who are either at war currently, or threatening to invade other countries, and they are:

Russia, China, North Korea, Iran: these abnormal countries are bent on aggression, repression, ruthless cruelty, and are lead by despotic dictators and their acolytes.

Every day I wake up and thank my lucky-stars that I was not born in one of these despicable places, and look forward to the day when the people rise up and overthrow the maniacs who consider their behaviour absolutely fine and acceptable; it will be a total revolutionary blood-bath in these places, but history has shown us that, unfortunately, this is the only way.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

And just yesterday on the British news shows an "expert* was saying that even if Ukraine was successful in taking back Ukraine or other countries came in to help, Russia wouldn't use nuclear weapons because China and India would turn on Russia.

Well today we see the reality, China sees a real possibility of nukes being used and knows it is far out matched and going to correct that as point out here.

So if China sees the need to expand nukes it is because it seems a very real possibility of them being used and or needed.

So dismiss the possible use of nukes in Ukraine if you want but this move by China says to me it is a very real possibility.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

There's a very big difference - USA / NATO / EU / G7 countries are Not threatening to invade anyone.

Hahahaha

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

With such aggressiveness, China is putting worldwide peace in danger. The race for nuclear weapons will endanger the countries with which China has issues in the south china sea.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

China should spend all her time and efforts on becoming a 'normal' country, ie: a democracy,

Population China 1.4 billion, Beijing 21 million, Shanghai 26 million

Population: USA 332 million, NY 8.4 million, Chicago, 2.9 million Portland 640,000

Now homicides in China fewer than 10,000 per year the USA over 20,000

Of the cities listed above which would you care to take a walk in day or night?

And it isn't just the USA it is just the biggest among the western democracies.

Nearly all western large cities are far more dangerous than Chinese cities.

So as much as I wouldn't want to live in China or under its regime, with 1.4 billion people and low crime in comparison to western countries, it is doing something right.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Jasper Cole

Today 07:51 pm JST

With such aggressiveness, China is putting worldwide peace in danger. The race for nuclear weapons will endanger the countries with which China has issues in the south china sea.

Then tell the USA to lower arms spending, lower it's nuclear stockpiles and China won't feel so threatened.

But it won't.

As for world wide peace, the USA and western countries have invaded far more places and countries in the past 150 years that China, Russia combined, the USA spends more on weapons than Russia and China, the USA has been in or at war 222 years of its 247 years of existence.

Which country is more aggressive?

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Fully support China, we are fighting for just and equality!

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

President Xi Jinping is a very dangerous man.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

China is only interested in China.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Taiwan,China nuclear missiles silos location are not a secret Google China Nuclear Missile Silos Google 42.3275,92.4923 to Tokyo Distance

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

I'm sure they aren't lying about only using them for defense, not a hard thing to do when the Chinese border seems to have legs.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

China with 350 nuclear warheads. The USA (and Russia) with 6,000. You are either blind or paid by the Pentagon.

China needs to produce more and more. This a good move. They don’t fiddle around like the auS.

We need more nuclear arms. It’s effective in detecting war. That’s for both sides. Japan, Ukraine, Taiwan, North Korea, and China. The U.S. won’t think twice if you don’t have them. They’ll think twice if you have them. Same for China.

If the U.S. hadn’t given in to Mao’s demands and obediently removed their nuclear missiles from Taiwan, we wouldn’t be talking about an invasion of Taiwan by China today would we.

China needs to catch up to the U.S. No one takes Japan seriously because Japan has none.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Russia, China, North Korea, Iran

So just do a simple count of all the countries invaded by these four and compare with those invaded by the US in the last 60 years and your argument looks very silly.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

@quercetum

We need more nuclear arms. It’s effective in detecting war. That’s for both sides. Japan, Ukraine, Taiwan, North Korea, and China. The U.S. won’t think twice if you don’t have them. They’ll think twice if you have them. Same for China. 

If the U.S. hadn’t given in to Mao’s demands and obediently removed their nuclear missiles from Taiwan, we wouldn’t be talking about an invasion of Taiwan by China today would we. 

China needs to catch up to the U.S. No one takes Japan seriously because Japan has none.

For once I agree with everything you say.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The only method to make America and her lackeys to behave their militaristic cowboy style warmongering is Russia & China joint together forming a nuclear alliance with certain nuclear power of retailiations in return.

China has been over generous to America in the last 40 years of being a good friend. After the "Trade War" from 2018, nobody deserve Chinese trust except Russia. China supporting Russia's liberation of Ukraine and rewarding China with many ton of plutonium, that's what a good friend is for. When a friend is in need, that's a brother indeed!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Hypocrites.

I agree. The people banging on about the US stockpile without mentioning that Russia's is larger are a disgrace.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

China is "rapidly" building launch facilities for intercontinental ballistic missiles, with more than 300 silos in total, according to the Pentagon last year.

That 300 silos is definitely not enough, U.S. has great advantage of SLBM and stealth bomber, the 300 ICBM was too little to deliver enough destruction power to maintain a strategic balance. The Silos were known under satellites, the reliability was not as good as SLBM!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

So just do a simple count of all the countries invaded by these four and compare with those invaded by the US in the last 60 years and your argument looks very silly.

Compare the amount of land stolen by Russia in the past 80 years and the fact that both Russia and China fought against the UN and the argument doesn't look that silly.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Jasper ColeApr. 26  07:51 pm JST

With such aggressiveness, China is putting worldwide peace in danger. The race for nuclear weapons will endanger the countries with which China has issues in the south china sea.

Dear, what do you think about it:

“We sent thousands of Challenger 2 rounds to Ukraine, including armor-piercing rounds with depleted uranium. For reasons of operational security, we will not comment on the utilization rates of the delivered kits," the British Deputy Secretary of Defense said.

the British are setting up the Ukrainians by handing them ammunition that is extremely dangerous for people and nature. If Russia begins to use the same ones in response, it will not be the British who will suffer, but all the same Ukrainians.

Evidently it's children's toy. They, the British, have already sent depleted uranium to Ukraine!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

No surprise. Trying to catch up with those considered their threats.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The problem is that after they make them, they’ll be hungry for more a couple of hours later.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The plan was for economic engagement with China and Russia to lead to democratization and peaceful coexistence. We need to stop being so naive. Both countries are using whatever economic gains they have made to make their dictatorships stronger, and to build up their militaries so as to threaten the rest of the world . Russians and Chinese have a lot to offer the world, but their dictatorships and oppression are not takeaways that we should be happy with.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Evidently it's children's toy. They, the British, have already sent depleted uranium to Ukraine!

If you are going to call depleted uranium rounds nuclear weapons, I don't know how we can have a serious discussion. You can't enrich depleted uranium rounds or at least not much better than the uranium any country can dig out of the ground. In fact it contains less uranium than the ground stuff.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@KuKu Depleted Uranium rounds were source of radioactive pollutants, it has been using in Iraq during the two Gulf wars. It was like the concept of dirty bombs. Only malicious politicians could have imagined that using in conventional war. Here we are talking nuclear warhead and their projectile vehicles.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

1glenn build up their militaries so as to threaten the rest of the world 

This is what the West has done after the end of cold war and NATO expansion, deployment eastwards close to Russia lands,sea and in the air...etc.

Russia and China just reply with their instinct response. It was two ways not one way!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Russia and China just reply with their instinct response. It was two ways not one way!

The invasion of Ukraine will forever be blamed on Russia despite its myriad of excuses. Simple as.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If you are going to call depleted uranium rounds nuclear weapons, I don't know how we can have a serious discussi

Did I call it a nuclear weapon somewhere?? If you want it's off topic. You have a figgy ground if it is like that. Tell the inhabitants of Serbia about its harmlessness. By transferring the ammunition, Britain is trying to dispose of its nuclear power plant waste for free. I don't think you will buy agricultural products grown on land that is plowed with such shells. Neither China, nor Russia, nor America will use nuclear weapons.

But to turn the best ground on earth into a radioactive dump...Evidently you know for sure that the land will be left.

If we talk about seriousness, then it isn't about you. On any theme you have verbal diarrhea that has no connection to the question under discussion. Obvious higher propagand education.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

If we talk about seriousness, then it isn't about you. On any theme you have verbal diarrhea that has no connection to the question under discussion. Obvious higher propagand education.

I'm not the one responding to comments and articles about nuclear weapons with depleted uranium nonsense. Either make more sense or don't go off topic.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@Antiquesaving USA spends more on weapons than Russia and China, the USA has been in or at war 222 years of its 247 years

Totally agree with you, monsieur. America had been threatened to dump 50 nukes all over China in Korean war by that crazy MacArthur. If the 1963 Cuban missile crisis gone a shooting war, America could attacked China even she has nothing to do with it. Right now a massive overhaul of building ICBM,SLBM & long range bomber was to deter such a dangerous adversary. China just want peace and development but America using all the dirty tricks to hinder China's development. About America's history, people should remember America stolen half of the Mexico lands of the Pacific coast, today's California,Utah, Arizona, Neveda, Florida, New Mexico etc. These lands were taken by force from Mexico. A constant threat that China should not ignore. They rampaged Peking in 1900, we still hates them!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@quercetum : We need more nuclear arms. It’s effective in detecting war. The U.S. won’t think twice if you don’t have them. They’ll think twice if you have them. Same for China.

Absolutely! The above 300 land based silos and unknown number of mobile silos cannot satisfied China's need for basic security measure. At most those ballistic missiles can deliver 1000 nuclear warheads. China should have a fleet of more than 12 nuclear missile submarines to prepare a second strike capabilities. Right now six SSBN with 72 SLBMs barely could reach the western hemisphere, obviously a very weak retaliation to stop enemy's aggressive attempts!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Totally agree with you, monsieur. America had been threatened to dump 50 nukes all over China in Korean war by that crazy MacArthur.

You should note we held back.

China just want peace and development but America using all the dirty tricks to hinder China's development.

It also wants to destroy democratic Taiwan. Taiwan won't submit so destruction is the plan.

About America's history, people should remember America stolen half of the Mexico lands of the Pacific coast, today's California,Utah, Arizona, Neveda, Florida, New Mexico etc. These lands were taken by force from Mexico.

The US also hasn't stolen land in 100 years. Russia stole lands in the last few months.

A constant threat that China should not ignore. They rampaged Peking in 1900, we still hates them!

Sounds like you want revenge. Nazi Germany also wanted revenge and look where it left them.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@quercetum : We need more nuclear arms. It’s effective in detecting war. The U.S. won’t think twice if you don’t have them. They’ll think twice if you have them. Same for China.

Russia also does not touch NATO so yes, they are effective for deterring criminality. It is a shame nukes weren't left for Taiwan.

Right now six SSBN with 72 SLBMs barely could reach the western hemisphere, obviously a very weak retaliation to stop enemy's aggressive attempts!

China has nothing to fear if it doesn't try to destroy democratic Taiwan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

China has nothing to fear if it doesn't try to destroy democratic Taiwan.

The world of all major powers neither China,US just nobody cares the inhabitants of 23million people, they were all "Expendables". What really happening is a duel between US & China.The two cowboys fight in an arena is an island known as Taiwan even if that island to be destroyed as a "No-man land"!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The world of all major powers neither China,US just nobody cares the inhabitants of 23million people, they were all "Expendables". What really happening is a duel between US & China.The two cowboys fight in an arena is an island known as Taiwan even if that island to be destroyed as a "No-man land"!

The US does care and Xi knows it or he wouldn't keep backing down!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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