China-U.S. relations are once again on an upward trajectory after the meeting between presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit. At about the same time, it comes as a relief to those concerned with China-U.S. “strategic stability” that some preliminary talks have occurred between the two countries in the critical domain of arms control.
Nevertheless, the good news should not obscure lingering bilateral tensions with respect to nuclear weapons. There were more than a few disturbing revelations from the latest Pentagon report on Chinese military capabilities, published in late October. Beijing apparently has already reached 500 operational nuclear warheads and is anticipated to field 1,000 such weapons by 2030. Moreover, these include intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) deployed into new silo fields, as a well as a new submarine launched missile (JL-3) “capable of ranging the continental United States from PRC littoral waters.” (PRC is an abbreviation of China’s formal name, the People’s Republic of China.)
In a very troubling sign that Beijing might be following Washington’s lead in preparing for limited nuclear war, that Department of Defense report concludes: “The PRC probably seeks lower yield nuclear warhead capabilities…”
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