A new report warns that China may be pursuing a new intercontinental missile system using conventional arms that could threaten continental US, Hawaii and Alaska.
A Pentagon report on China’s military power says Beijing is exceeding previous projections of how quickly it is building up its nuclear weapons arsenal and is “almost certainly” learning lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine about what a conflict over Taiwan might look like.
Members of the People’s Liberation Army march outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. China also has devoted billions to its military.The annual report, required by the US Congress, is one way the Pentagon measures the growing Chinese military capabilities, which the US government sees as its key threat in the region and America’s primary long-term security challenge.
Last year’s report warned that Beijing was rapidly modernising its nuclear force and was on track to nearly quadruple the number of warheads it has to 1500 by 2035. The United States has 3750 active nuclear warheads.The 2023 report finds that Beijing is on pace to field more than 1000 nuclear warheads by 2030, continuing a rapid modernisation aimed at meeting Xi’s goal of having a “world-class” military by 2049.
The report said China is intensifying military, diplomatic and economic pressure not only on Taiwan but also towards all its regional neighbours to push back against what its sees as US efforts to contain its rise. The pressure against Taipei includes ballistic missile overflights, increased warplane incursions into its international defence zone and a large-scale military exercise last August that encircled Taiwan.Beijing has vowed to bring Taiwan under its control, by force if necessary.