China says U.S. nuclear weapons report is theory By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Guests stand in entrance of a large display screen displaying Chinese language President Xi Jinping subsequent to a flag of the Communist Occasion of China, on the Navy Museum of the Chinese language Folks’s Revolution in Beijing, China October 8, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s defence ministry on Tuesday dismissed a Pentagon report concerning the tempo of its nuclear weapons programme as unfair “gesticulation” and hypothesis.

The Pentagon mentioned in a report final month that China would possible have a stockpile of 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 if it continues with its present tempo of its nuclear buildup.

The determine underscores mounting U.S. considerations about China’s intentions for its increasing nuclear arsenal, though the projections don’t counsel China is accelerating the tempo of its already-brisk warhead growth.

Responding to the report, China’s defence ministry mentioned america was “gesticulating and absurdly guessing concerning the modernisation of China’s nuclear forces”.

America ought to replicate by itself nuclear coverage, particularly because it has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, the ministry added.

America was “vigorously” creating and looking for to deploy front-line tactical nuclear weapons, had lowered the brink for deploying nuclear weapons and was conducting nuclear proliferation by way of its safety partnership with Britain and Australia, it mentioned.

“It needs to be emphasised that China firmly pursues a self-defence nuclear technique, all the time adheres to the coverage of not being the primary to make use of nuclear weapons at any time or beneath any circumstance, and maintains its nuclear forces on the lowest degree required by nationwide safety.”

America has a stockpile of about 3,700 nuclear warheads, of which about 1,740 had been deployed, in response to the Stockholm Worldwide Peace Analysis Institute (SIPRI) think-tank.

The Chinese language ministry mentioned it was america that was the “greatest hassle maker” when it got here to world safety.

“It has fanned the flames for its personal self-interest, creating divisions and confrontation on the earth, and bringing turmoil and disasters wherever it goes,” the ministry mentioned.