Satellite photos revealed by the Federation of American Scientists expose China's increasing nuclear arsenal.
The Federation of American Scientists have uncovered 250 nuclear missile silos being constructed in the western Xinjiang province of China, Faithwire reported. The said growing stockpile of nuclear missiles have been discussed on Wednesday during the Senate Select Intelligence Committee hearing.
Former United States National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina disclosed during the senate hearing that Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping aims to be a world "leader" in three areas including the military.
"Xi Jinping has one goal: to be the geopolitical, military and economic leader in the world. Period," Evanina said.
Evanina's statement was backed last week by President Joe Biden during his U.S. intelligence community address and by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Senator Mark Warner during the Wednesday hearing.
"(China is) deadly earnest about becoming the most powerful military force in the world, as well as the largest and most prominent economy in the world by the mid-forties, 2040s," Biden announced.
"(China) is focusing on targeting key U.S. technologies for both acquisition and development. These include aerospace, advanced manufacturing, A.I., biotech, data analytics, semiconductors, renewables, all in order to ensure PRC's future dominance in these areas," Warner added.
Last July, Christianity Daily reported that Chinese Communist Party was discovered to have built 100 intercontinental ballistic missile silos in the Gansu province desert. The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies released the satellite feed on the silos, which included 119 under construction in Yuman City. The said silos were suspected to hold the DF-41 ICBM missiles of China, which are said to be new and equipped with multiple warheads capable of reaching the United States.
The silos were discovered after the center followed on rumors last September about China planning to increase its nuclear stockpile. The discovery of the James Martin Center confirms that China indeed is "dramatically expanding its arsenal of nuclear-armed" ICBMs.
"But while Jilantai has only 16 of each structure-which I lovingly call a Bouncy House of Death because it appears to be an inflatable structure-the site near Yumen has nearly 120. (Specifically, 119 by Decker's last count. We're counting again.) These silos are probably for China's newest nuclear-armed missile, the DF-41," the James Martin Center said in its report.
A tweet by the United States Strategic Command confirms the "growing threat the world faces" from China due to the silos being discovered. The U.S. Strategic Command's post contains a link to a New York Times report on China's second nuclear missile base.
"This is the second time in two months the public has discovered what we have been saying all along about the growing threat the world faces and the veil of secrecy that surrounds it," the U.S. Strategic Command tweeted on July 28.
This is the second time in two months the public has discovered what we have been saying all along about the growing threat the world faces and the veil of secrecy that surrounds it.https://t.co/OTFkP14H5o
"” US Strategic Command (@US_Stratcom) July 27, 2021
The Pentagon expects China's current 350 nuclear warheads will double in the next ten years, which would be difficult to hide, according to State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.
"This rapid buildup has become more difficult to hide, and it highlights how the PRC (People's Republic of China) appears again to be deviating from decades of nuclear strategy based around minimum deterrence," Price said.
