The Pentagon is concerned about the increase in China’s nuclear arsenal

By 2035, China may have an arsenal of 1,500 nuclear warheads, Reuters writes, citing the annual report of the US Department of Defense published on November 29. “Over the next decade, China intends to modernize, diversify and expand its nuclear forces,” the document says. Beginning in 2021, Beijing is likely to “accelerate its nuclear expansion,” according to Pentagon analysts, bringing China’s operational inventory of all types (strategic and non-strategic) nuclear warheads to over 400.

A Pentagon official told Reuters that such a rapid build-up could not be kept secret. In addition, they suspected Beijing of a departure from the previous strategy, which the Chinese themselves called “a thrifty and effective deterrent.”