| People's Republic of China | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First nuclear weapon test | October 16, 1964 |
| First thermonuclear weapon test | December 28, 1966 |
| Last nuclear test | July 29, 1996 |
| Largest yield test | 4 Mt
|
| Current stockpile | 500 (estimated)[1] |
| Current strategic arsenal | 438 (estimated)[1] |
| Maximum missile range | 15,000 km[2] |
| NPT party | Yes (1992, one of five recognized powers) |
The People's Republic of China has developed and possesses weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and nuclear weapons. The first of China's nuclear weapons tests took place in 1964, and its first hydrogen bomb test occurred in 1966 at Lop Nur.[3] Tests continued until 1996, when the country signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), but did not ratify it.[4] China acceded to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in 1984[5] and ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1997.[6] Since 2020, China has been wielding a nuclear triad,[7] alongside four other countries.
The number of nuclear warheads in China's arsenal is a state secret.[1] There are varying estimates of the size of China's arsenal. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and Federation of American Scientists estimated in 2024 that China has a stockpile of approximately 438 nuclear warheads,[1][8] while the United States Department of Defense put the estimate at more than 500 operational nuclear warheads,[9] making it the third-largest in the world.
In 1964, China adopted a policy of no-first-use (NFU),[10][1] although some of its nuclear forces are reported to have moved toward a launch on warning (LOW) posture in the 2020s.[11][12]
- ^ a b c d e Kristensen, Hans M.; Korda, Matt; Johns, Eliana; Knight, Mackenzie (January 2, 2024). "Chinese nuclear weapons, 2024". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 80 (1): 49–72. Bibcode:2024BuAtS..80a..49K. doi:10.1080/00963402.2023.2295206. ISSN 0096-3402.
- ^ "DF-41: China's answer to the US BMD efforts | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses". Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
- ^ Zhang, Hui (April 11, 2024). "The short march to China's hydrogen bomb". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Archived from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
- ^ Borger, Julian (April 16, 2020). "China may have conducted low-level nuclear test, US claims". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
- ^ "China: Accession to Biological Weapons Convention". United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
- ^ "Evolution of the Status of Participation in the Convention". Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
- ^ "How is China Modernizing its Nuclear Forces?". Center for Strategic and International Studies. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
- ^ "Status of World Nuclear Forces". Federation of American Scientists. March 31, 2023. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
- ^ Feng, Emily (October 19, 2023). "New Pentagon report claims China now has over 500 operational nuclear warheads". NPR. Archived from the original on October 20, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
- ^ "Nuclear Disarmament China". Nuclear Threat Initiative. September 11, 2024. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
- ^ Hiim, Henrik Stålhane; Fravel, M. Taylor; Trøan, Magnus Langset (January 4, 2023). "The Dynamics of an Entangled Security Dilemma: China's Changing Nuclear Posture". International Security. 47 (4): 147–187. doi:10.1162/isec_a_00457. ISSN 0162-2889.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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