China has accelerated its production of nuclear weapons and will double its arsenal to more than 1,000 by 2030, the Pentagon warned.
As of May this year, Beijing had “more than 500 operational nuclear warheads,” which was more than the US previously believed.
The military is on track to “exceed previous expectations,” the Pentagon said in its annual China Military Power Report.
The revelation is a further blow to relations between the world’s two largest economies, which are already at their lowest point in years.
Tensions are rising over a range of issues, including China’s aggressiveness towards Taiwan, its military activities in the South China Sea, trade and human rights.
China’s DF-41 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile during a military parade in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square
Xi Jinping (center) poses for photos with new missile force commander Wang Houbin (top left)
U.S. defense officials said the increase in nuclear weapons construction “causes us great concern” and urged Beijing to “be more transparent about their nuclear buildup.”
The official said: “We see that the PRC continues to modernize, diversify and expand its nuclear forces quite rapidly.
“What they’re doing now, if you compare it to what they were doing about ten years ago, it really far exceeds that in terms of scale and complexity.”
According to the Federation of American Scientists, the US has a stockpile of approximately 3,700 nuclear warheads, of which 1,419 are deployed strategic warheads.
Russia has a stockpile of 4,489 nuclear warheads, of which approximately 1,550 have been deployed.
According to the report, China wants to expand its capacity to launch nuclear weapons from land, air and submarines.
It also said China may pursue a new intercontinental missile system using conventional weapons.
The system would allow Beijing to “threaten conventional strikes against targets in the continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska.”
Beijing has “likely completed” construction of 300 intercontinental ballistic missile launch facilities, the report said.
Chinese helicopters in a training exercise
Xi Jinping wants to boost the Chinese military
China’s navy, already the largest in the world, now has more than 370 ships and submarines, up from 340 last year.
The growing naval power is central to President Xi Jinping’s goal to make China the preeminent military power in the region.
The report reiterated concerns about Beijing’s pressure on self-ruled Taiwan, an island that China considers a breakaway province.
The pressure on Taiwan includes overflying ballistic missiles and increasing attacks from fighter jets.
U.S. officials also said Beijing is “almost certainly” learning lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine about what a conflict over Taiwan might look like.
The country is trying to develop industrial and economic self-reliance after seeing how Western sanctions hit Moscow.
Xi Jinping with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in March
DF-5B intercontinental ballistic missiles travel past Tiananmen Square during a military parade
China’s Foreign Ministry labeled the report inaccurate and “biased,” although it did not specifically dispute the figures.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said: “China is resolutely pursuing a nuclear strategy of self-defense.
She said: ‘This report ignores the facts, is full of bias and spreads the theory of the threat posed by China.
“We have always maintained our nuclear forces at the minimum level necessary for national security and have no intention of engaging in a nuclear arms race with any country.”
She added: “No country will be threatened by China’s nuclear weapons as long as it does not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against China.”
Beijing said it remains committed to a “no first use” nuclear weapons policy, meaning it would never launch a pre-emptive strike.
The US does not adhere to a ‘no first use’ policy and says nuclear weapons would only be used in ‘extreme circumstances’.
Xi has given his military until 2027 to develop the military capacity to retake Taiwan.
The US has pledged billions of dollars in weapons to Taiwan to build up its defenses and help the country withstand any attacks.