China’s Nuclear Strategy: Lessons from Russia & US Decline
- While many Americans still see the United States as the world's leading nuclear power, the U.S.
- arsenal is now about 85% smaller than its peak during the Cold War,with a relatively small number of operational nuclear weapons.
- has withdrawn nuclear weapons from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, leaving only a base on Guam with nuclear capabilities.
China’s nuclear strategy is evolving rapidly,challenging the existing global power balance. This article reveals China has tripled its nuclear arsenal in the last five years, while the U.S. has considerably downsized its own.Experts are sounding the alarm, citing the potential vulnerability of U.S. bases and the risk of miscalculation. Learn how China may have drawn lessons from Russia’s nuclear posturing in Ukraine and what moves the U.S. might make in response, including possibly redeploying nuclear weapons to Asia. News Directory 3 brings you this critical analysis of the shifts in global security. Discover what’s next in this escalating strategic surroundings.
China’s Nuclear Buildup: A Growing Threat to US Security?
Updated May 28, 2025
While many Americans still see the United States as the world’s leading nuclear power, the U.S. nuclear stockpile has significantly decreased since the Cold War. At the same time, China is rapidly expanding its nuclear capabilities, raising concerns among arms experts about global security and the shifting balance of power.
The U.S. arsenal is now about 85% smaller than its peak during the Cold War,with a relatively small number of operational nuclear weapons. Some experts say the U.S. has as few as 1,700 operational nuclear weapons, some more than 35 years old. this reduction comes as China undertakes an unprecedented nuclear buildup, becoming the world’s fastest-growing nuclear power.
As the 1960s, the U.S. has withdrawn nuclear weapons from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, leaving only a base on Guam with nuclear capabilities. Some analysts worry that in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, this base could be vulnerable to a Chinese first strike, leaving the U.S. without a land-based nuclear option in the Pacific.
Gordon Chang, a China expert, believes China’s nuclear expansion aims to deter othre nations. He suggests China learned from Russia’s use of nuclear threats during the Ukraine war to discourage Western intervention.
The U.S. is developing new nuclear systems, including the Sentinel missile to replace the Minuteman III and a new gravity bomb to replace the B-61. However, Frank Gaffney, former Assistant Secretary of Defense, believes China’s nuclear arsenal may be larger than publicly known, with some weapons stored in its western desert.
“They never bought this idea that Ronald Reagan, my mild and much-revered boss, famously said, which is ‘a nuclear war, can never be won and must never be fought.’ They don’t buy that. They believe nuclear war is a thing – a nuclear war is something that can be used decisively,” Gaffney said.
Gaffney, who served during the Reagan administration, expressed frustration with the current state of U.S. nuclear deterrence. He emphasized the need for urgent action to address the growing threat.
What’s next
To counter China’s growing nuclear power, some defense experts suggest the U.S. should redeploy nuclear weapons to bases in Asia. However,this proposal is likely to face significant political opposition within the United States.