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Draft Pentagon Report Says China Loaded Over 100 ICBMs Into New Silo Fields Near Mongolia

A draft U.S. assessment points to rapid nuclear expansion in China with little interest in arms control.

Military vehicles carrying DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles travel past Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People's Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo
The DF-31BJ intercontinental ballistic missiles is seen during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025.

Overview

  • China has likely placed more than 100 solid-fuel DF-31 intercontinental ballistic missiles into three newly built silo fields near the Mongolian border, according to the draft report seen by Reuters.
  • The estimate marks the first public count of missiles in those silo fields after earlier disclosures focused only on the sites’ existence.
  • The assessment says China’s nuclear warhead stockpile was in the low 600s in 2024 and remains on track to exceed 1,000 by 2030.
  • The report warns Beijing aims to be able to fight and win a conflict over Taiwan by the end of 2027, including options for long-range strikes 1,500–2,000 nautical miles that could disrupt U.S. operations in the region.
  • U.S. officials say the draft could change before it goes to lawmakers, the Pentagon and China declined immediate comment, Beijing rejects the buildup claims as defamatory, and the report finds no appetite in China for arms-control talks despite President Trump’s denuclearization push.