A parade of missile-equipped trucks in China’s annual World War II victory parade in September 2025. China has invested in nuclear weapons in addition to its conventional forces. (China News Service)

Who’s Afraid of China’s Nuclear Triad?

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Over the past decade, China has poured resources into its nuclear triad in an attempt to achieve rough parity with the United States.

China’s nuclear forces, like much of the rest of its military, have transitioned in recent decades from a relatively obsolete force to a more robust and capable threat. Once capable of only limited deterrence, China now possesses a full-spectrum nuclear triad comparable to that of the United States.

China now has around 600 warheads currently operational, with another 400 expected to enter service before the end of the decade, according to US estimates. Beijing is rapidly evolving into a peer nuclear power with balanced land, sea, and air deterrent capabilities. 

The Land Leg: China’s ICBMs

China has hundreds of new silos, operated by the People’s Liberation........

© The National Interest