Overview
- U.S. officials report more than 100 DF-31 intercontinental missiles are now in underground silos across fields totaling roughly 320 sites at Hami, Yumen and Yulin.
- China’s stockpile is assessed in the low 600s through 2024, with the Pentagon projecting it could exceed 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.
- The report lists 400 ICBMs and 550 launchers, noting China added about 50 ICBM launchers over the past year even as the missile count held steady.
- Independent satellite analyses highlight major upgrades at Sichuan facilities tied to plutonium pit production in Pingtong and high‑explosive components in Zitong, plus new tunneling at the Lop Nur test area that analysts say could preserve a testing option.
- Beijing rejects the U.S. characterization as biased and says its build-up is defensive, while U.S. officials say they are pursuing risk-reduction talks even as they reassess deterrence.