China may have at least 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030: Pentagon
The Hindu
The Pentagon's new estimate marks a dramatic increase from the projection reported in last year's report, which placed Beijing's tally around 400 nuclear warheads within a decade
China is sharply increasing its nuclear arsenal and could have up to 700 deliverable warheads by 2027 and at least 1,000 by 2030, as the Communist giant aims to surpass U.S. global power by the middle of the 21st century, the Pentagon has warned in a new report.
China is investing in, and expanding, the number of its land-, sea-, and air-based nuclear delivery platforms and constructing the infrastructure necessary to support this major expansion of its nuclear forces, it said on November 4 in a congressionally mandated report, amidst tense relations between Washington and Beijing over a range of issues, including Taiwan.
The Pentagon's new estimate marks a dramatic increase from the projection reported in last year's report, which placed Beijing's tally around 400 nuclear warheads within a decade.