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US expresses alarm over China nuclear buildup

July 2, 2021

China is reportedly building over 100 new silos for the deployment of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

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Chinese ICBMs at a military parade
China has vowed to ramp up its defenses Image: picture alliance/dpa/Ren Zhenlai

The US on Thursday called China's rapid expansion of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) "concerning," as Beijing ramps up its military capabilities.

A report published in the Washington Post on Wednesday said China is constructing over 100 new silos for ICBMs in a desert near the northwestern city of Yumen.

The article drew from commercial satellite images obtained by analysts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California. 

What did the US say about the build-up?

"The build-up, it's concerning," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a media briefing. "It raises questions about the PRC's intent."

"And for us it reinforces the importance of pursuing practical measures to reduce nuclear risks," he continued.

The State Department spokesperson said China's rapid build-up of weapons "has become more difficult to hide."

A report released by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in June found that China had 350 reserved or retired warheads at the beginning of 2021, an increase of 30 warheads over last year.

SIPRI said Beijing is significantly modernizing and expanding its nuclear arsenal.

US reponds to defiant Xi Jinping speech

Price also responded to recent defiant remarks from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Xi said on Thursday during a ceremony in Beijing marking the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that the "era of China being slaughtered and bullied is gone forever."

Price said the Biden administration has "taken note" of the speech "but we're not going to comment on the specifics."

Jinping said during the major address that "the Chinese people will never allow any foreign forces to bully, oppress or enslave us."

The US has frequently criticized China's treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority and the passage of a national security law that allows Beijing to crack down on dissidents in Hong Kong. Washington has also strongly condemned Beijing's recent military actions towards Taiwan. 

wd/aw (AFP, Reuters)