WSJ: China accelerating its nuclear buildup over sising fears of US conflict
- 10 April, 2022
- 08:39

China has accelerated an expansion of its nuclear arsenal because of a change in its assessment of the threat posed by the US, people with knowledge of the Chinese leadership's thinking say, shedding new light on a buildup that is raising tension between the two countries, Report informs via the Wall Street Journal.
The Chinese nuclear effort long predates Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but the US's wariness about getting directly involved in the war there has likely reinforced Beijing's decision to put greater emphasis on developing nuclear weapons as a deterrent, some of these people say. Chinese leaders see a stronger nuclear arsenal as a way to deter the US from getting directly involved in a potential conflict over Taiwan.
The source of the WSJ emphasizes that China does not intend to use nuclear weapons first, and the size of the arsenal will not exceed the volumes necessary to ensure the country's security interests, but these volumes are not indicated. At the same time, the PRC military believes that the current nuclear arsenal is outdated, and this reduces its deterrent potential and, thus, may increase pressure from Washington.