12/10/22, 3:37 PM China Has More 'Nuclear Warheads' On Ballistic Missiles Than US; Key Determination By STRATCOM Gives

M Gives Rise …

 

Home  Americas  China Has More ‘Nuclear Warheads’ On Ballistic Missiles Than US; Key Determination...

China Has More ‘Nuclear Warheads’ On Ballistic

Missiles Than US; Key Determination By
STRATCOM Gives Rise To Speculation
By Sakshi Tiwari - December 8, 2022

   

Pentagon’s recent report on China’s Military Power estimated that Beijing’s stockpile of nuclear
warheads had surpassed 400 in a surprisingly short period. Just days later, there is bickering in the
US Congress that Beijing may have amassed more nuclear warheads than Washington.

https://eurasiantimes.com/china-has-more-nuclear-warheads-on-ballistic-missiles-than-us-key-determination-by-stratcom-gives-rise-… 1/7
12/10/22, 3:37 PM China Has More 'Nuclear Warheads' On Ballistic Missiles Than US; Key Determination By STRATCOM Gives Rise …

The speculations have been raised due to the US Strategic Command’s (STRATCOM) recent classified
determination to Congress by a clause in the fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, Defense
News reported. The STRATCOM oversees the US nuclear inventory.

According to the clause, the Command must notify the US Congress if China surpasses the US in one of
the three components concerning its Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) arsenal. This would allow US
Congress to be informed if China deploys more ICBMs or ICBM launchers than the United States.

According to data from the Pentagon’s annual China report and a report from the Congressional Research
Service, the United States continues to have a numerical edge over China regarding the number of
deployed ICBMs and ICBM launchers. This means that neither of those two circumstances led to the
STRATCOM alert.

The third component of the law that requires the STRATCOM to determine Congress is when China
surpasses the United States in the number of nuclear warheads equipped on its ICBMs.

In a letter to STRATCOM commander Admiral Charles Richard on December 5, James Inhofe, the senior
Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged the Pentagon to declassify the determination
as required by law. In addition, other policy experts have also opined that the speculations among
lawmakers may be correct.

Sen. Jim Inhofe · Dec 5, 2022

@JimInhofe · Follow
I’ve said it many times—we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg when it
comes to China’s growing military might. The admin must be open
and honest with the American people about the threat Beijing poses
to global order and our way of life.

Sen. Jim Inhofe

@JimInhofe · Follow

Read the full letter I sent today alongside

@RepMikeRogersAL, @SenatorFischer and
@RepDLamborn


https://eurasiantimes.com/china-has-more-nuclear-warheads-on-ballistic-missiles-than-us-key-determination-by-stratcom-gives-rise-… 2/7
12/10/22, 3:37 PM China Has More 'Nuclear Warheads' On Ballistic Missiles Than US; Key Determination By STRATCOM Gives Rise …

4:23 PM · Dec 5, 2022

101 Reply Copy link

Read 9 replies

These assertions are significant as they come days after the US released the China military power report
emphasizing that the country was accelerating its nuclear expansion on a war footing. It also predicted that
Beijing could amass around 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 if the expansion continues at the same pace.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the United States had 1,389 warheads on a total of 665
deployed ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers as of September 2021.

As per US estimates, China has an aggregate of roughly 300 ICBMs and ICBM launchers. However, the
exact number of nuclear warheads in the Chinese arsenal is not known.

In a rather unusual move, even though China lambasted the US report, it stopped short of addressing the
accusations regarding its nuclear build, leaving room for concern and ambiguity.

Further, the US report contends that China tested more ballistic missiles (135) in 2021 than the rest of the
world combined.  Regardless, China has doubled its ICBM stockpile since 2020 and has moved at an
unprecedented speed to add more teeth to its strategic power.

China Expanding Nuclear Arsenal

China’s Defense Ministry stated earlier this week in a scathing reaction to the US report suggesting a
significant expansion in nuclear capabilities that Beijing scrupulously adheres to its policy of refraining from
using nuclear weapons as a first resort “at any time and under any circumstances.”


https://eurasiantimes.com/china-has-more-nuclear-warheads-on-ballistic-missiles-than-us-key-determination-by-stratcom-gives-rise-… 3/7
12/10/22, 3:37 PM China Has More 'Nuclear Warheads' On Ballistic Missiles Than US; Key Determination By STRATCOM Gives Rise …

A nuclear-capable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in an underground launch silo

The Spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry,  Tan Kefei, said, “the report distorts China’s national
defense policy and military strategy, makes groundless speculation about China’s military development,
and grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs on the issue of Taiwan.”

For a long time, China has maintained what it refers to as a wholly defensive national security approach,
which includes the assurance that it will never be the first to deploy nuclear weapons in a conflict. This
position has frequently been contested domestically and internationally, particularly regarding a dispute
involving Taiwan.

“What needs to be emphasized is that China firmly pursues the nuclear strategy of self-defense and
defense, always adheres to the policy of no first use of nuclear weapons at any time and under any
circumstances and maintains its nuclear force at the minimum level required for national security,” Tan said
in the statement.

Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Project at Middlebury College, told Defense
News that China’s Dongfeng-41 missile can “carry multiple warheads, so 300 missiles could get you
slightly over 400 warheads.” However, he repudiated the claims that Beijing could have swollen its nuclear
warhead inventory to overtake that of Washington.


https://eurasiantimes.com/china-has-more-nuclear-warheads-on-ballistic-missiles-than-us-key-determination-by-stratcom-gives-rise-… 4/7
12/10/22, 3:37 PM China Has More 'Nuclear Warheads' On Ballistic Missiles Than US; Key Determination By STRATCOM Gives Rise …

Dongfeng-41 sketch- Wikimedia Commons

That being said, the United States is now within credible striking distance for the first time, thanks to
China’s deployment of a new generation of submarine-launched ballistic missiles called the JL-3.

In March, the US STRATCOM reportedly informed the US Senate Armed Services Committee that the
missiles could strike the continental United States “from a protected bastion within the South China Sea.”

The latest launch of the Minuteman-III missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California

On its part, the United States has upped the ante by unveiling its B-21 Raider stealth strategic bomber,
positioned as its best bet in case of a conflict with China.

In addition, the US Nuclear triad got another shot in the arm earlier this year as it test-fired the unarmed
Minuteman-III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), a Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent.


https://eurasiantimes.com/china-has-more-nuclear-warheads-on-ballistic-missiles-than-us-key-determination-by-stratcom-gives-rise-… 5/7
12/10/22, 3:37 PM China Has More 'Nuclear Warheads' On Ballistic Missiles Than US; Key Determination By STRATCOM Gives Rise …

Both China and the United States have a nuclear triad that typically ensures ‘survivability,’ as a nuclear
strike does not disable a country’s nuclear arsenal and allows it to launch a retaliatory strike.

This is expected to maintain effective deterrence between the two arch-rivals. With tensions rising in the
region, China has categorically stated that it never renounced using force to merge Taiwan with the
Chinese mainland, which would be a red line for the United States.

Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari9555 (at) gmail.com

Follow EurAsian Times on Google News

   

Previous article Next article

Viral In Ukraine: ‘Shahed-136 Killer’ Fighter Pilot Saudi Arabian Sky Turn RED As Xi Jinping’s Plane
Who ‘Knocked Out’ Several Russian Suicide UAVs Lands In Riyadh; What Is Cooking Between China &
Gets Shot Down Saudi?

Sakshi Tiwari
Sakshi Tiwari has studied journalism from the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication and holds a
masters’ degree in Defence and National Security. An avid defense enthusiast, she can be reached at
sakshi.tiwari9555@gmail.com


https://eurasiantimes.com/china-has-more-nuclear-warheads-on-ballistic-missiles-than-us-key-determination-by-stratcom-gives-rise-… 6/7
12/10/22, 3:37 PM China Has More 'Nuclear Warheads' On Ballistic Missiles Than US; Key Determination By STRATCOM Gives Rise …

Exit mobile version


https://eurasiantimes.com/china-has-more-nuclear-warheads-on-ballistic-missiles-than-us-key-determination-by-stratcom-gives-rise-… 7/7