China has raised serious concerns about a recently revealed U.S. nuclear strategy that reportedly focuses on China's rapidly growing nuclear arsenal. The Chinese foreign ministry expressed its unease on Wednesday, emphasizing that this approach only fuels tensions between the two global powers.
The strategy, allegedly approved by U.S. President Joe Biden in March, is said to outline plans to address not only China's expanding nuclear capabilities but also potential coordinated threats from Russia, North Korea, and other nations. This highly classified document, known as the "Nuclear Employment Guidance," provides a framework for how the U.S. would respond to nuclear threats and is accessible to only a select few within the administration.
China has been critical of the U.S.'s portrayal of its nuclear expansion. A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry argued that the U.S. is pushing the "China nuclear threat" narrative as a pretext for gaining strategic advantages. The spokesperson reiterated China's stance that such reports have intensified in recent years, further straining diplomatic relations.
Despite the concerns raised by China, the White House clarified that the updated nuclear strategy is not aimed at any specific nation but rather at addressing the challenges of a "new nuclear era." This strategy considers the nuclear capabilities of not only China but also other nations, including Russia and North Korea.
A previous Pentagon report released in October estimated that China possesses more than 500 operational nuclear warheads. It also projected that China's nuclear arsenal could surpass 1,000 warheads by 2030, further justifying the U.S.'s renewed focus on global nuclear threats.
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