Images fuel fear of China building more nuclear arms

China is building 100 missile silos in the desert, according to satellite imagery, raising fears of an expansion of its nuclear capabilities.

The satellites picked up construction work on a site near Yumen, including underground bunkers, cable trenches, roads and a small military base, according to researchers from the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies in California. The silos seem to mirror existing launch facilities for China’s arsenal of nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.

The acquisition would represent a major shift for China, which was only thought to possess up to 350 nuclear weapons, far fewer than the US and Russia.

“We believe China is expanding its nuclear forces in part to maintain a deterrent that can survive a US first strike,” US nuclear expert Jeffrey Lewis told The Washington Post, which first broke the story.

Earlier this year the head of US nuclear forces warned of a “breathtaking expansion” of Chinese nuclear capabilities. It came as Xi Jinping, China’s leader, threatened to “bash the heads” of any foreign powers that try to bully Beijing.

“We will never allow any foreign power to bully, oppress or subjugate us,” Xi said in a speech to mark the Communist Party’s centenary.

China’s big birthday comes after the country recovered relatively quickly from the coronavirus pandemic and the Communist Party now has a record 95 million members.

For Xi, the celebration is designed to burnish his credentials at a time when Beijing faces challenges on the world stage. Global criticism is growing over China’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and concerns abound about the health of its economy.

Still, Xi’s remarks were defiant and foreboding, saying: “China’s complete reunification is a historic mission and an unshakable commitment of the Communist Party”.

He extended “sincere greetings to compatriots in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan special administrative regions”, a departure from how Taiwan is usually referenced.

Taiwan, an island with its own democratic government, military, currency and foreign policy, has long been regarded by Beijing as a renegade province. Chinese military incursions into Taiwanese air space and waters have ramped up lately, fuelling fears that Xi will use force to bring the island to heel.