China now poses a real security challenge for policy makers, with nuclear weapons capable of hitting Taiwan, Japan, India, and the US Territory of Guam.

The Pentagon took notice of the situation and issued a warning, saying China wants to double its nuclear warheads.

In May, Hu Xijin, the Editor-in-Chief of Global Times endorsed the idea that China must have more than 1000 nuclear warheads. Looks like it struck a chord in the country as Beijing is now beefing up its nuclear arsenal.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-pressing-to-double-its-nuclear-warheads-within-a-decade-pentagon-report-324596" hreflang="en">China pressing to double its nuclear warheads within a decade: Pentagon report</a>

In its annual report to the US Congress, The American Department of Defense better known as the Pentagon made a big revelation.&nbsp;It said that China wants to at least double its nuclear warhead stockpile in the next decade. China wants to master the ability to launch nuclear attacks by land, sea and air. The US believes China is close to mastering the triad.

India faces an immediate challenge 
 
But while the US and China fight for global power, India faces an immediate security challenge. China is said to have six nuclear missiles. The most basic missile, the Dongfeng 21 has a range of almost two thousand kilometres. The Dongfeng 5 has a range of 13 thousand kilometres. With these missiles and more warheads, China can target any Indian city and beyond.

Until last year, China had a modest nuclear arsenal. Its nuclear stockpile was just two per cent of the global arsenal. China had just 290 nuclear bombs, with a few mediums to launch missiles. Reports say China had fewer than 90 launchers for its land based missiles. In comparison, the US has 400 launchers.

According to the latest estimates by the Federation of American Scientists, China now has 320 nuclear warheads and ranks fourth in the world with its stockpile.

China wants to up the ante

Chinese president Xi Jinping is working on expanding China's nuclear power. By 2015, the second artillery corps of the PLA operated China's land based nuclear and conventional missile forces. The branch was upgraded to a full military service and renamed the PLA Rocket Force.

Four years later, China unveiled the Dongfeng 41 missile. Beijing says this missile can carry upto 10 nuclear warheads, and can target the US in 30 minutes. Chinese news agency Xinhua called the Dongfeng 41&nbsp;"the mainstay of China's strategic nuclear strength".

According to one estimate, if China doubles its arsenal by 2029, the PLA rocket force will be able to field as many as 24 Dongfeng 41 launchers alongside 144 nuclear warheads.

Earlier this month, a former military officer made a major claim. He said that China can counterattack with nuclear weapons within minutes indicating that China could have deployed a missile attack early warning system. A capability like this allows China to hit Indian or American targets, well before their missiles hit Chinese land.

China now poses a real security challenge for policy makers, with nuclear weapons capable of hitting Taiwan, Japan, India, and the US Territory of Guam. The Pentagon took notice of the situation and issued a warning, saying China wants to double its nuclear warheads.

China now poses a real security challenge for policy makers, with nuclear weapons capable of hitting Taiwan, Japan, India, and the US Territory of Guam. The Pentagon took notice of the situation and issued a warning, saying China wants to double its nuclear warheads. In May, Hu Xijin, the Editor-in-Chief of Global Times endorsed the idea that China must have more than 1000 nuclear warheads. Looks like it struck a chord in the country as Beijing is now beefing up its nuclear arsenal. Also read: China pressing to double its nuclear warheads within a decade: Pentagon report In its annual report to the US Congress, The American Department of Defense better known as the Pentagon made a big revelation. It said that China wants to at least double its nuclear warhead stockpile in the next decade. China wants to master the ability to launch nuclear attacks by land, sea and air. The US believes China is close to mastering the triad. India faces an immediate challenge But while the US and China fight for global power, India faces an immediate security challenge. China is said to have six nuclear missiles. The most basic missile, the Dongfeng 21 has a range of almost two thousand kilometres. The Dongfeng 5 has a range of 13 thousand kilometres. With these missiles and more warheads, China can target any Indian city and beyond. Until last year, China had a modest nuclear arsenal. Its nuclear stockpile was just two per cent of the global arsenal. China had just 290 nuclear bombs, with a few mediums to launch missiles. Reports say China had fewer than 90 launchers for its land based missiles. In comparison, the US has 400 launchers. According to the latest estimates by the Federation of American Scientists, China now has 320 nuclear warheads and ranks fourth in the world with its stockpile. China wants to up the ante Chinese president Xi Jinping is working on expanding China's nuclear power. By 2015, the second artillery corps of the PLA operated China's land based nuclear and conventional missile forces. The branch was upgraded to a full military service and renamed the PLA Rocket Force. Four years later, China unveiled the Dongfeng 41 missile. Beijing says this missile can carry upto 10 nuclear warheads, and can target the US in 30 minutes. Chinese news agency Xinhua called the Dongfeng 41 "the mainstay of China's strategic nuclear strength". According to one estimate, if China doubles its arsenal by 2029, the PLA rocket force will be able to field as many as 24 Dongfeng 41 launchers alongside 144 nuclear warheads. Earlier this month, a former military officer made a major claim. He said that China can counterattack with nuclear weapons within minutes indicating that China could have deployed a missile attack early warning system. A capability like this allows China to hit Indian or American targets, well before their missiles hit Chinese land.

China wants to double its nuclear warheads, here's why the world should worry

Pentagon on Tuesday said that the Chinese military is pushing to double its 200-plus nuclear warheads within a decade with the ability to launch them aboard ballistic missiles by land, sea and air.

Pentagon on Tuesday said that the Chinese military is pushing to double its 200-plus nuclear warheads within a decade with the ability to launch them aboard ballistic missiles by land, sea and air. Also read: Joe Biden reportedly raised $300 million in August, highest ever for a US presidential candidate According to the report, the People's Liberation Army is also focused on conducting joint operations, to be able to deter or defeat any US effort to intervene on Taiwan's behalf. It also said that the Chinese Army has matched or surpassed the US Military in many areas like shipbuilding, land-based ballistic and cruise missiles, and air defense systems. Also read: 'I am Taiwanese': Czech speaker channels Kennedy in Taiwan speech The annual report, in its first public estimate of China's nuclear capacity, said that the country had nuclear warheads numbering "in the low 200s". These numbers are likely to be doubled within 10 years. The country under Xi's regime has ballistic missiles that can be launched from land and sea and now are developing the capacity to do develop an air-launched ballistic missile as well, the report said. "It is likely that Beijing will seek to develop a military by mid-century that is equal to -- or in some cases superior to -- the US military, or that of any other great power that the PRC views as a threat," the report said. If China achieves that goal and the United States fails to address it, the report said, it "will have serious implications for US national interests and the security of the international rules-based order." (Inputs from AFP)

China pressing to double its nuclear warheads within a decade: Pentagon report

The US scrapping of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-withdraw-from-inf-missile-treaty-unless-russia-complies-trump-194448">Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia</a> could launch a new arms race, but will also allow the United States to update its nuclear arsenal, a publicly stated goal for the past year.

President Donald Trump announced Friday the US was suspending its obligations under <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/inf-treaty-with-russia-has-been-invalidated-germany-194404">the INF treaty </a>as of Saturday and starting a process to withdraw in six months.

NATO has said that US allies "fully support" its withdrawal from the pact, and agreed that<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-says-russia-suspending-missile-treaty-after-us-move-agencies-194569"> Russia's</a> 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile systems violate the treaty.

A day later, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a tit-for-tat withdrawal from the pact to develop "new types of weapons," calling Washington's decision "unilateral and totally unprovoked."

The United States has complained about the alleged Russian violations for years.&nbsp;

But now it's also speaking openly about its chance to upgrade its arms stock.

When the United States unveiled its new nuclear policy in February 2018, it warned that it planned to buy two new weapons: a new type of low-power nuclear missile to be launched from a submarine, and a new type of nuclear cruise missile that would violate the INF agreement.

This new missile — which would only come into service within a decade — would only be a violation of the treaty if it were deployed, the Pentagon says.&nbsp;

It has always stressed that a research and development program was not prohibited by the 1987 treaty with Moscow.

So starting Saturday "we are no longer bound by the constraints of the Treaty," Johnny Michael, a Pentagon spokesman, told AFP Friday.

The 2019 US military budget provides funds for developing this new intermediate-range land-based missile and "we are still in the research phase," the spokesman said.

In fact, the Pentagon was already preparing its response to Russian missile 9M729, with a top range of 480 kilometres, Moscow insists.

But Washington, backed by NATO allies, says that Russian missile has already been tested on much greater distances.

Arms race

Johns Hopkins University's Jeffrey Pryce argues that the INF treaty favours the United States because, while it prohibits all surface-to-air missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres, conventional or intermediate, anything fired from a submarine or dropped by a bomber, simply is not covered.

"Thus, the INF Treaty deprives Russia of a significant military capability, for which its size and location are strategic advantages," the former Pentagon official said on Twitter. &nbsp;

"The US, by contrast, has the world's most powerful navy and air force. And the INF Treaty does not restrict sea-launched or air-launched missiles."

According to figures from the anti-nuclear group Union of Concerned Scientists, the US nuclear arsenal holds 4,600 nuclear weapons, of which 1,740 are deployed and ready to be used at any time, and 2,922 stored.

Ten US Navy submarines armed with nuclear missiles are constantly patrolling the seas, the group said.

Russia has a similar number of nuclear warheads, but its nuclear submarines are in bad shape, as several accidents have shown in recent years.

China, keen to assert military supremacy in Asia, also has intermediate-range missiles. According to experts, 95 per cent of Chinese missiles would violate the INF treaty if Beijing was a signatory.

Michael Krepon, of the Stimson Center, believes that "we're headed toward a new nuclear arms race.

"Any time your national defence budget is ten times bigger than Russia's and five times bigger than China's, you can afford an arms race. But arms races usually don't end well: even if you stay ahead of the competition, your security is diminished." 
&nbsp;

The US scrapping of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia could launch a new arms race, but will also allow the United States to update its nuclear arsenal, a publicly stated goal for the past year.

The US scrapping of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia could launch a new arms race, but will also allow the United States to update its nuclear arsenal, a publicly stated goal for the past year. President Donald Trump announced Friday the US was suspending its obligations under the INF treaty as of Saturday and starting a process to withdraw in six months. NATO has said that US allies "fully support" its withdrawal from the pact, and agreed that Russia's 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile systems violate the treaty. A day later, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a tit-for-tat withdrawal from the pact to develop "new types of weapons," calling Washington's decision "unilateral and totally unprovoked." The United States has complained about the alleged Russian violations for years. But now it's also speaking openly about its chance to upgrade its arms stock. When the United States unveiled its new nuclear policy in February 2018, it warned that it planned to buy two new weapons: a new type of low-power nuclear missile to be launched from a submarine, and a new type of nuclear cruise missile that would violate the INF agreement. This new missile — which would only come into service within a decade — would only be a violation of the treaty if it were deployed, the Pentagon says. It has always stressed that a research and development program was not prohibited by the 1987 treaty with Moscow. So starting Saturday "we are no longer bound by the constraints of the Treaty," Johnny Michael, a Pentagon spokesman, told AFP Friday. The 2019 US military budget provides funds for developing this new intermediate-range land-based missile and "we are still in the research phase," the spokesman said. In fact, the Pentagon was already preparing its response to Russian missile 9M729, with a top range of 480 kilometres, Moscow insists. But Washington, backed by NATO allies, says that Russian missile has already been tested on much greater distances. Arms race Johns Hopkins University's Jeffrey Pryce argues that the INF treaty favours the United States because, while it prohibits all surface-to-air missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres, conventional or intermediate, anything fired from a submarine or dropped by a bomber, simply is not covered. "Thus, the INF Treaty deprives Russia of a significant military capability, for which its size and location are strategic advantages," the former Pentagon official said on Twitter. "The US, by contrast, has the world's most powerful navy and air force. And the INF Treaty does not restrict sea-launched or air-launched missiles." According to figures from the anti-nuclear group Union of Concerned Scientists, the US nuclear arsenal holds 4,600 nuclear weapons, of which 1,740 are deployed and ready to be used at any time, and 2,922 stored. Ten US Navy submarines armed with nuclear missiles are constantly patrolling the seas, the group said. Russia has a similar number of nuclear warheads, but its nuclear submarines are in bad shape, as several accidents have shown in recent years. China, keen to assert military supremacy in Asia, also has intermediate-range missiles. According to experts, 95 per cent of Chinese missiles would violate the INF treaty if Beijing was a signatory. Michael Krepon, of the Stimson Center, believes that "we're headed toward a new nuclear arms race. "Any time your national defence budget is ten times bigger than Russia's and five times bigger than China's, you can afford an arms race. But arms races usually don't end well: even if you stay ahead of the competition, your security is diminished."

Dropping weapons treaty would let US update its nuclear arsenal

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will sit down on Tuesday, June 12, for an unprecedented summit that has raised hopes of progress on the troubled Korean peninsula.

From Kim's nuclear arsenal to normalising ties between the two-decades-old foes, these are the issues facing the two leaders at what Trump has called a "one-time shot" at peace.

Denuclearisation

This is the absolute crux of the summit and there remains a chasm between the two sides that diplomats were scrambling to close on the eve of the meeting.

Washington is demanding the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of North Korea. In Trump's words: "They have to de-nuke. If they don't denuclearise, that will not be acceptable."

North Korea has repeatedly expressed a commitment to the "denuclearization of the Korean peninsula" – notably in a report by state agency KCNA on the eve of the summit – but the term is open to interpretation on both sides and it remains unclear what concessions Kim is prepared to offer.

South Korea estimates the North has 50 kilograms of plutonium, reportedly enough for around 10 bombs, and a "considerable" ability to produce uranium weapons.

Previous agreements with the North have subsequently collapsed and experts warn Kim is highly unlikely to give up the "treasured sword" of his nuclear deterrent.

Dismantling a secret nuclear arsenal built up over decades would take several years and be extremely difficult to check, they say.

Siegfried Hecker, a noted US nuclear expert, said the immediate CVID of the North was "unimaginable" and "tantamount to a North Korean surrender scenario".

End to Korean war?

North and South Korea remain technically at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice that Seoul's then leader refused to sign and divided the peninsula along the Demilitarized Zone.

At their summit in April Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to seek a peace treaty and Trump mused earlier this month: "Can you believe we're talking about the ending of the Korean War?"

Seoul announced last week it was in 3-way talks with Pyongyang and Washington for an "early" declaration that the war is over.

That could precede a full treaty which would raise complex issues needing extensive negotiation and would need to involve China, which backed the North during the conflict and is a signatory to the armistice.

But Trump said: "We could absolutely sign an agreement and we're looking at it," adding: "Sounds a little bit strange, but that's probably the easy part."

Normalization

Ahead of the meeting, Trump has dangled the carrot of a normalisation of diplomatic ties between the former foes and even a White House visit for Kim, which would confirm his arrival on the world stage.

"Maybe we'll start with the White House, what do you think?" he said when asked if Kim would be invited to Washington or his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

The other carrot for Kim is a possible loosening of punishing UN Security Council sanctions but here too there is discord, with Washington saying sanctions can end only when denuclearisation is complete and Pyongyang wanting "phased" relief as they make progress towards that goal.

Human rights?

Another question is whether Trump will take up the issue of human rights – with North Korea accused of a host of state-sanctioned rights abuse including extrajudicial killing, torture and kidnapping.

North Korea is estimated to have up to 120,000 political prisoners in its sprawling gulag system.

Close US ally Japan has urged Trump to bring up the decades-old issue of its citizens abducted in 1970s and 1980s to train Pyongyang's spies in Japanese language and customs.

Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said it was imperative that Trump bring up rights issues with Kim.

"North Korea's increased dialogue with other countries is a positive step, but before the world gets too excited they should remember that Kim Jong Un still presides over perhaps the most repressive system in the world," he said.

Security

Kim's main concern is the survival of his own regime – South Korean President Moon Jae-in told reporters that the Pyongyang leader had "concerns on whether he could trust that the US would end its hostile policy and guarantee the security of his regime when the North denuclearizes itself".

So the summit was nearly derailed by talk from Trump's hawkish National Security Advisor John Bolton of a "Libya model" of disarmament.

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi was deposed and killed in a Western-backed rebellion after abandoning his nuclear programme.

The Trump administration has promised not to seek to bring about regime change and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has even floated the possibility of issuing security guarantees to the North.

But some question why Kim should trust any guarantees given Trump's history of pulling out of accords -- most recently the painstakingly negotiated Iran nuclear deal.

"Why would Kim... believe any commitments President Trump makes when he arbitrarily tears up an agreement with which the other party is complying?" said Antony Blinken, who was deputy secretary of state under Barack Obama.

From Kim's nuclear arsenal to normalising ties between the two-decades-old foes, these are the issues facing the two leaders at what Trump has called a "one-time shot" at peace

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will sit down on Tuesday, June 12, for an unprecedented summit that has raised hopes of progress on the troubled Korean peninsula. From Kim's nuclear arsenal to normalising ties between the two-decades-old foes, these are the issues facing the two leaders at what Trump has called a "one-time shot" at peace. Denuclearisation This is the absolute crux of the summit and there remains a chasm between the two sides that diplomats were scrambling to close on the eve of the meeting. Washington is demanding the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of North Korea. In Trump's words: "They have to de-nuke. If they don't denuclearise, that will not be acceptable." North Korea has repeatedly expressed a commitment to the "denuclearization of the Korean peninsula" – notably in a report by state agency KCNA on the eve of the summit – but the term is open to interpretation on both sides and it remains unclear what concessions Kim is prepared to offer. South Korea estimates the North has 50 kilograms of plutonium, reportedly enough for around 10 bombs, and a "considerable" ability to produce uranium weapons. Previous agreements with the North have subsequently collapsed and experts warn Kim is highly unlikely to give up the "treasured sword" of his nuclear deterrent. Dismantling a secret nuclear arsenal built up over decades would take several years and be extremely difficult to check, they say. Siegfried Hecker, a noted US nuclear expert, said the immediate CVID of the North was "unimaginable" and "tantamount to a North Korean surrender scenario". End to Korean war? North and South Korea remain technically at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice that Seoul's then leader refused to sign and divided the peninsula along the Demilitarized Zone. At their summit in April Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to seek a peace treaty and Trump mused earlier this month: "Can you believe we're talking about the ending of the Korean War?" Seoul announced last week it was in 3-way talks with Pyongyang and Washington for an "early" declaration that the war is over. That could precede a full treaty which would raise complex issues needing extensive negotiation and would need to involve China, which backed the North during the conflict and is a signatory to the armistice. But Trump said: "We could absolutely sign an agreement and we're looking at it," adding: "Sounds a little bit strange, but that's probably the easy part." Normalization Ahead of the meeting, Trump has dangled the carrot of a normalisation of diplomatic ties between the former foes and even a White House visit for Kim, which would confirm his arrival on the world stage. "Maybe we'll start with the White House, what do you think?" he said when asked if Kim would be invited to Washington or his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The other carrot for Kim is a possible loosening of punishing UN Security Council sanctions but here too there is discord, with Washington saying sanctions can end only when denuclearisation is complete and Pyongyang wanting "phased" relief as they make progress towards that goal. Human rights? Another question is whether Trump will take up the issue of human rights – with North Korea accused of a host of state-sanctioned rights abuse including extrajudicial killing, torture and kidnapping. North Korea is estimated to have up to 120,000 political prisoners in its sprawling gulag system. Close US ally Japan has urged Trump to bring up the decades-old issue of its citizens abducted in 1970s and 1980s to train Pyongyang's spies in Japanese language and customs. Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said it was imperative that Trump bring up rights issues with Kim. "North Korea's increased dialogue with other countries is a positive step, but before the world gets too excited they should remember that Kim Jong Un still presides over perhaps the most repressive system in the world," he said. Security Kim's main concern is the survival of his own regime – South Korean President Moon Jae-in told reporters that the Pyongyang leader had "concerns on whether he could trust that the US would end its hostile policy and guarantee the security of his regime when the North denuclearizes itself". So the summit was nearly derailed by talk from Trump's hawkish National Security Advisor John Bolton of a "Libya model" of disarmament. Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi was deposed and killed in a Western-backed rebellion after abandoning his nuclear programme. The Trump administration has promised not to seek to bring about regime change and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has even floated the possibility of issuing security guarantees to the North. But some question why Kim should trust any guarantees given Trump's history of pulling out of accords -- most recently the painstakingly negotiated Iran nuclear deal. "Why would Kim... believe any commitments President Trump makes when he arbitrarily tears up an agreement with which the other party is complying?" said Antony Blinken, who was deputy secretary of state under Barack Obama.

Nukes and normalisation: What's on the table in Singapore

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