The total area of missile enterprises in China increased by more than 2 million m² from 2020 to 2025.
CNN writes about this.
Satellite images have shown that more than 60% of the 136 facilities associated with Chinaʼs missile forces are under construction or upgrade, with new towers, bunkers and mounds appearing, indicating weapons development.
In Beijing, one of the factories, which has expanded by almost 50%, produces the DF-26 ballistic missile, known as the “Guam Killer” — it can change trajectory during flight and reach the American Andersen base on the island of Guam.
According to June data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China is building up its nuclear arsenal faster than any other country. The PRC has been adding about 100 new warheads annually since 2023, although the total number of missiles is still behind the United States and Russia.
CNNʼs findings indicate that the expansion has particularly accelerated since the start of Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which is considered a turning point in global security.
Experts told the publication that the new missiles could potentially deter Washington from providing aid to Taiwan if China tries to seize the island nation.
Former NATO arms control director William Alberke called this the beginning of a new arms race, CNN writes.
The US Air Force on November 5 conducted a test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
The missile was launched to test the reliability, accuracy, and readiness of the system, which is a key element of the US nuclear deterrent.
China, USA and Taiwan
Tensions in the Asia-Pacific region are rising amid Chinaʼs threats to seize Taiwan, a US ally. The ruling Communist Party considers Taiwan part of its territory. Beijing has increasingly promised to "reunify" the island with mainland China by 2022. The 46th US President Joe Biden has said the United States would defend Taiwan if attacked.
In March 2023, Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on Chinaʼs troops to prepare for war, and on the eve of 2024 said that "reunification" was inevitable. Taiwanʼs Foreign Ministry predicts a possible attack by China in 2027.
Author: Anastasia Zaikova
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