China plans to triple its nuclear arsenal to 900 by 2035: report

China is considering tripling its nuclear warhead stockpile to 900 by 2035, as tensions with the United States are expected to escalate further over Taiwan. Kyodo News gave this information on Saturday citing a source close to the matter.

The report quoted Chinese sources as saying that the blueprint drawn up by the People's Liberation Army has been approved by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the army chief, who is keen to strengthen Beijing's deterrence against Washington.

Let us tell you, the Chinese Communist Party is strengthening the military capabilities of the country. The United States said in 2022 that Beijing was on track to increase its stockpile of nuclear weapons to 1,500 by 2035. His goal is to complete the modernization of his army.

Some foreign affairs experts have claimed that China may give up its 'no first use' if it achieves its military modernization goal, Kyodo News reported. The sources said the nuclear arsenal held by China is likely to increase to 550 in 2027, which marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the country's armed forces. At the same time, their number will increase to 900 in 2035.

Russia has 5,977 nuclear warheads, while the United States has 5,428, Kyodo News reported, citing data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Relations between China and the US have been strained, especially after former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August, Kyodo News reported. There are growing apprehensions that Taiwan could become a military flash point in the Asia Pacific region shortly, as China considers the island a part of its territory. China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war.

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