China is ramping up its nuclear arsenal: what is known about the scale and plans of Beijing.

China has significantly accelerated the pace of modernization and expansion of its nuclear arsenal. Beijing is undertaking the largest buildup of strategic capabilities in recent decades. This was reported by Reuters.

The head of the US Strategic Command, General Anthony Cotton, stated to Congress in March that China's leader Xi Jinping had ordered the army to prepare for a possible forceful seizure of Taiwan by 2027. This directly stimulates the development of nuclear forces. The Pentagon believes that China's strategy may involve the use of nuclear strikes in the event of threats to its command centers or critical infrastructure. The Chinese Ministry of Defense rejects these accusations, emphasizing that the country adheres exclusively to a defensive nuclear strategy and condemns the so-called attempts to inflate the myth of a Chinese nuclear threat.

According to the 'Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists', China has already accumulated about 600 nuclear warheads and is building more than 350 new missile silos, as well as bases for mobile launchers. A significant part of the arsenal is intended for short- and medium-range missiles aimed at regional targets. In addition, the Pentagon's annual report states that by 2030 the Chinese army may have over a thousand operational nuclear warheads: from low-yield precision to intercontinental ballistic missiles with megaton payloads, reports Reuters.

Reuters' report indicates significant development of China's nuclear potential, which may have serious consequences for the geopolitical situation in the region and the world as a whole. The journalists' report conveys the outrage of some countries but also notes the opposite position of Chinese military officials, who assure that their nuclear strategy is exclusively defensive.