As of January, China was estimated to possess at least 600 nuclear warheads, double what it had in 2020, according to one think tank.
The G7 leading industrialized nations issued a joint statement on Nov. 12 expressing concern over Beijing’s “rapid” buildup of its nuclear arsenal and military and calling on the Chinese regime to improve transparency to back its claims of commitment to stability.
The G7—the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK—along with the High Representative of the European Union, released their statement on global security during their meeting in Niagara, Canada, on Nov. 11 to 12.
The areas of concern covered peace and stability in the Middle East, Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, Haiti, Sudan, and Congo, as well as maritime and supply chain security, with China often highlighted throughout.
“We remain concerned about China’s military build-up and rapid increase of nuclear weapons arsenal and call on Beijing to demonstrate its commitment to stability through improved transparency,” the statement reads.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s annual arms report, Beijing is increasing the country’s number of nuclear warheads at a rate exceeding any other country, around 20 percent annually. As of January, China was estimated to possess at least 600 nuclear warheads, double what it had in 2020. That makes China a distant third, behind Russia and the United States in the amount of nuclear weapons. Still, the institute estimated it could catch up with the United States by 2030 if the pace continues.
U.S. President Donald Trump in August proposed nuclear disarmament talks with Moscow and Beijing, but the Chinese regime rejected the proposal.
In October, Trump ordered the Pentagon to begin testing nuclear weapons in response to Russia and China ramping up nuclear weapon testing.
“Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “That process will begin immediately.”
Chinese arms are also fueling Russia’s war in Ukraine, another point of concern for the G7 leaders.
