In 1964, it was first nuclear test and China has followed the 'no first use' nuclear weapons policy. However, with maritime arms race with the United States escalating, China may be forced to reconsider its long-standing stance. While China is making gains in weapons development, the US is trying to limit Beijing's military build-up in the South China Sea. China had proved its might with the successful test of new submarine-launched ballistic missile JL-3 late last year giving jitters to the United States. The test gave a sneak peek that China is moving ahead with SSBNs - a new class of strategic submarines that could be equipped with nuclear-armed JL-3s. These vessels are likely to be more difficult to detect than conventional land-based nuclear weapons.
However after US President Donald Trump had in October last year said that he would withdraw from a decades-old atomic accord with Russia as it needs to respond to China's nuclear build-up, the latter recently cautioned the US against such a move. The agreement officially expires in early 2021 but can be extended by another five years if both Washington and Moscow agree.
Both China and the United States are capable of delivering nuclear weapons through three systems: land-launched nuclear missiles, nuclear missile-armed submarines and strategic aircraft with nuclear bombs and missiles. However, as China moves ahead to develop precise land-based launchers, solid-fuelled ICBMs and hypersonic gliders, the arms race between Beijing, US and other countries in the region are bound to escalate.
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