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Understanding China's Growing Nuclear Arsenal

Understanding China's Growing Nuclear Arsenal

China's DF-41 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles are seen during a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on October 1, 2019. (Photo by GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images)

SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — As the United States mulls deploying nuclear-armed, sea-launched missiles as a deterrent to its adversaries, China is building and modernizing its nuclear  arsenal at an unprecedented pace. 

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists estimates China now has roughly 500 nuclear warheads, a number that experts believe will grow quickly in the coming years. A 2023 Pentagon report highlights a significant increase in China's operational nuclear weapons under President Xi Jinping, and projects an arsenal of over 1,000 warheads by 2030 and 1,500 by 2035.   

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