China has “minimum nuclear arsenal” and rejects arms race, says report

In the document, Beijing criticizes the “Golden Summit” planned by Trump, claiming that it would represent a “serious threat to security in outer space”, and undertakes to unconditionally refrain from using nuclear weapons — against non-nuclear states.

China does not intend to become involved in a nuclear arms race and opposes the deployment of offensive missiles by the United States in Asia, according to the most recent white paper released by the Beijing Government on nuclear policy.

The document, released on Thursday and titled “Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in China’s New Era”, updates the previous 2005 version, says .

In the new white paper, Beijing states that it has maintained consistently its nuclear forces at the minimum level necessary to ensure national security.

The Chinese leadership has long emphasized its policy of “not first use” of nuclear weapons and commits to abstain unconditionallyto use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states or in nuclear weapons-free zones.

Without directly mentioning the United Statesthe white paper argues that “some countries” have promoted deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region and are adjusting their nuclear policy, which constitutes a security threat global.

“China has long demonstrated extreme restraint in the size and development of its nuclear arsenal, never competing with other countries in terms of investment, quantity or scale”, reads the text, cited by SCMP. “China will not participate in any future arms race nuclear with any country.”

To China never publicly disclosed the number of nuclear weapons it has, but, according to a report published in June by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the will have around 600 warheads nuclear ones, much less than the USA (5,177 warheads) and Russia (5,459).

However, in the proposals for the 15th five-year plan, presented last month, it was committed to “strengthen deterrence capabilities strategy and safeguard global strategic balance and stability”.

The reference to strategic deterrence was interpreted as an allusion to nuclear forces and as a sign that China hopes to close the gap between its nuclear arsenal and those of the United States and Russia.

The formulation follows the reference made by President Xi Jinpingin the report to the Communist Party congress in 2022, that China would “build a solid strategic deterrence system”.

According to the SIPRI report, since 2023, China has been adding on average, per year, 100 new nuclear warheads to your arsenal.

The document also criticizes the United States system, classifying it as a attempt to achieve “absolute security” and maintaining that it would pose a “serious threat to the security of outer space”.

In January, Trump announced his intention to create a futuristic anti-missile defense system to combat aerial threats, including ballistic missilesif on a cruise. In May, he revealed that he had chosen a project and guaranteed that the system would be operational before the end of your term.

Beijing’s white paper states, however, that China has also developed missiles and missile defense for your own protection.

“Given your vast territory and complex security environmentthese capabilities are intended to safeguard sovereigntyguarantee security and deter war, not being directed against any other country or region”, states the text.