This illustration taken on January 30, 2023 shows the flags of the United States and China. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Obtaining license rights
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (Reuters) – The Pentagon this week annual report Concerning China’s military, it touches on a wide range of issues related to some of the most important developments in China’s national security over the past year. Below are some key highlights.
nuclear weapons:
China has more than 500 operational nuclear warheads and will likely have more than 1,000 by 2030, the report said.
In a previous report, the Pentagon estimated that China had more than 400 operational nuclear warheads in 2021.
missile:
The report said China will likely complete construction of three new silo fields in 2022 and will be equipped with at least 300 new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos.
The report said China may be considering developing a conventionally armed intercontinental missile system, which could allow China to threaten the United States.
Overseas bases:
Although China is expanding its global military footprint, it is much smaller than the U.S. base network.
The report states that China is also possibly considering locating military logistics facilities in countries such as Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Tajikistan. It has said.
ship
China already has the world’s largest navy, and its size is growing, the report said.
The Chinese Navy has more than 370 ships and submarines, up from 340 in last year’s report.
The report added that the number is expected to rise to 395 ships by 2025 and 435 ships by 2030.
us aid
Although the report found that China generally ignored or rejected U.S. efforts to hold military-to-military consultations, it also described instances in which China needed U.S. assistance.
In April 2023, the Chinese military requested assistance from the United States to evacuate Chinese diplomats from Khartoum, Sudan.
The report said the U.S. military provided an evacuation route.
Reporting by Idrees Ali and Michael Martina.Editing: Leslie Adler
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