{"id":26714,"date":"2023-10-20T15:29:33","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:29:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cahootie.com\/?p=26714"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:29:33","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:29:33","slug":"china-threatens-to-strike-us-targets-as-it-beefs-up-its-nuclear-arsenal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cahootie.com\/world-news\/china-threatens-to-strike-us-targets-as-it-beefs-up-its-nuclear-arsenal\/","title":{"rendered":"China threatens to strike US targets as it beefs up its nuclear arsenal"},"content":{"rendered":"

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China is scaling up its nuclear arsenal far more rapidly than projected and is \u201calmost certainly\u201d learning lessons from Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine, warns a chilling new report from the Pentagon.<\/p>\n

The report, released on Thursday, also warns that China may be pursuing a new intercontinental missile system using conventional arms that, if fielded, would allow Beijing \u201cto threaten conventional strikes against targets in the continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska\u201d.<\/p>\n

It follows a recent report from the Strategic Posture Commission that said the US must be prepared for potential simultaneous wars with Russia and China.<\/p>\n

The Pentagon estimates that China had more than 500 nuclear warheads as of May – roughly 100 more than last year.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s annual report warned that Beijing was rapidly modernizing its nuclear force and was on track to nearly quadruple the number of warheads it has to 1,500 by 2035. America has 3,750 active nuclear warheads.<\/p>\n

The 2023 report finds that Beijing is on pace to field more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, continuing a rapid modernization aimed at meeting Xi\u2019s goal of having a \u201cworld-class\u201d military by 2049.<\/p>\n

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After the previous report, China accused the US of ratcheting up tensions and Beijing said it was still committed to a \u201cno first use\u201d policy on nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n

The Pentagon has seen no indication that China is moving away from that policy but assesses there may be some circumstances where China might judge that it does not apply, a senior US defense said without providing details. The official briefed reporters Wednesday on condition of anonymity before the report\u2019s release.<\/p>\n

The US does not adhere to a \u201cno first use\u201d policy and says nuclear weapons would be used only in \u201cextreme circumstances\u201d, they said.<\/p>\n

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The report also claimed China is intensifying military, diplomatic and economic pressure not only on Taiwan but also\u00a0toward all its regional neighbors to push back against what its sees as US efforts to contain its rise.<\/p>\n

The pressure against Taipei includes ballistic missile overflights, increased warplane incursions into its international defense zone and a large-scale military exercise last August that encircled Taiwan.<\/p>\n

China has vowed to bring Taiwan under its control, by force if necessary.<\/p>\n

Xi Jinping has given his military until 2027 to develop the military capability to retake the self-ruled island democracy that the Communist Party claims as its own territory.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss… <\/strong> Putin and Xi’s grand vision to conquer Arctic with ‘Polar Silk Road'[EXCLUSIVE] <\/strong><\/p>\n