China's Nuclear Warheads to Reach 1500 by 2035, Pentagon Says

China is intensively strengthening its nuclear arsenal, and by 2035, the country could have 1,500 nuclear warheads at its disposal, as reported by the Associated Press, citing a Pentagon report.

The agency notes that last year the Pentagon calculated that China could expand its arsenal to 700 warheads in six years, reaching 1,000 by 2030.

The new report indicates that China currently has around 400 nuclear warheads, and that number could reach 1,500 by 2035.

According to the Associated Press, this trend means that Beijing will close the gap it has with the United States regarding nuclear stockpiles. "For comparison, the United States has 3,750 nuclear warheads at its disposal," the agency states.

Previously, the Pentagon had acknowledged that the expansion of China's nuclear arsenal is a concern for Washington.