What used to be two forces is now at least three. In a geopolitical key, nuclearization has mutated recently and in what way. This very particular arms race has expanded nations, and we covered it in August with the “China key” and more recently with the “US key” with Project 25 in the background with the arrival of Donald Trump. If all these signs continued to raise any suspicion, Washington banned them with 182 pages.

Asian arsenal. The document states that China continues to increase its military capabilities, especially its nuclear arsenal, despite a series of corruption investigations that have shaken the upper echelons of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The country added nearly 100 nuclear warheads last year, according to the Pentagon, which commissioned the study; This number is estimated to exceed 600 by mid-2024, and by 2030 this number is planned to exceed 1,000.

There is much more. Although still far from the numbers of the United States and Russia, this expansion aims to provide the country with greater, perhaps the largest destructive capacity in the short term, as well as multiple strategic options in the event of a conflict with the United States. or whoever.

Expansion of military infrastructure. The documents state that China has completed three missile sites containing 320 silos in the northern deserts and is continuing to build more silos to house Dongfeng-5 missiles that can carry multiple warheads. According to the document, this military modernization aims to significantly improve its ability to cause catastrophic damage in a possible nuclear exchange and expand its ability to threaten American cities, military installations and leaders.

Diversification. In addition to increasing its arsenal, China is developing a diversified nuclear force that includes low-yield precision strike missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with multiple escalation options. This approach would represent an evolution from its traditional nuclear stance. Although Beijing maintains a “no first use” policy, the pace of nuclear modernization has caused alarm in the United States, according to the Pentagon.

Advanced technologies. The report underlines that China has developed advanced systems such as hypersonic glide vehicles and fractional orbital bombardment systems, and we have commented on some of them. Designed in part to counter U.S. missile defense capabilities, both technologies make it difficult to detect and track a nuclear attack. In this context, China reinforced its leading position in weapons innovation by conducting a test combining both technologies in 2021.

Internal challenges: corruption. As we said at the beginning, China’s military progress for the US defense arm has been disrupted by corruption investigations involving top PLA officials, including defense ministers, accused of accepting bribes and selling promotions. Although these scandals have shaken trust in military leaders, the Pentagon believes their impact on modernization programs is limited, describing them as a “minor obstacle.”

Vitamins by sea. Like Russia, the Chinese Navy has significantly increased its sphere of influence and become an emerging naval power capable of operating beyond regional waters. The PLA has more than 370 ships and has conducted training and operations in remote oceans, including the Eastern Indian Ocean and Western Pacific, as well as port visits in Africa and the Middle East, according to the Pentagon report.

Since 2008, it has maintained a permanent presence in the Gulf of Aden with a permanent base in Djibouti, underlining its ambition to project its power beyond its borders.

Fleet modernization. In this context, old platforms were replaced by modern, multi-purpose ships equipped with advanced anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weapon systems. Among them, the Renhai-class cruiser (Type 055) stands out, surpassing its American counterparts in size with its 112-cell vertical launch system and multi-mission capabilities.

Additionally, the development of aircraft carriers such as the Fujian, the first domestic design equipped with electromagnetic catapults, is expanding aerial projection capabilities. This effort is complemented by a growing fleet of amphibious ships, such as the Type 071 and Type 075 classes, prepared for expeditionary operations and long-range logistics support.

Taiwan. In such a report it is impossible to miss the hidden threat that we have been reporting for the last few months and which is closely linked to this naval build-up. The United States notes that some of China’s current military efforts are directed against Taiwan, which Beijing considers an integral part of its territory.

The Pentagon notes that despite increasing air and sea strikes near the island, China still faces significant shortcomings, such as limitations in urban warfare and maintaining supplies over long distances, making a credible amphibious invasion difficult. A possible attack on Taiwan is considered a significant political and military risk for the Communist Party, at least for now.

America’s reaction. So what is the United States doing? To counter China, the Biden administration appears to have strengthened alliances in the Asia-Pacific region and devised force deployment strategies to facilitate rapid attacks on Chinese assets. There is no doubt that the report could influence the approach of the incoming Trump administration by directing attention to the growing Chinese military threat in a global context marked by conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Effects. With this document coming to light, perhaps the debate in Washington about the need to modernize and expand nuclear capabilities through Project 25 is better explained. By integrating and expanding advanced technology, China is transforming its nuclear power into the mainstay of its military power. Its arsenal is at an alarming rate for Americans.

This development, along with its focus on overcoming American defenses, is reshaping the global strategic landscape and moving the Asian nation closer to the level of nuclear threat that the United States and Russia have historically represented. Plus: This modernization and expansion by sea represents a direct challenge to American maritime dominance, which has been the cornerstone of global order since World War II.

China, which has a shipbuilding industry 200 times more efficient than that of the United States, according to the Office of Naval Intelligence, is accelerating its ability to project naval power in the near future and challenge strategic control of key routes and regions near the United States. . In short, it is a report that seems to pave the way for the next administration to open the tap on defense spending even more.

Image | Steve Jurvetson, Philip McMaster

in Xataka | The country that has increased its nuclear arsenal the most is China. Now demands restraint from the US and its allies

in Xataka | The US Navy faces an unprecedented threat: China, Russia and North Korea are developing a new type of underwater warfare