China Is Building 300 Missile Silos Possibly For Nuclear Weapons

CNN reported that the first suspicion that China was building up missile silos surfaced in June this year. A FAS report in July then drew attention to a second silo field that China was allegedly building. The recent report suspects that three such sites exist, namely in Yumen, Hami, and Ordos regions in North-Central China. 

FAS analysis is based on satellite images captured by commercial operators Planet Labs and Maxar Technologies. FAS claims that these images have blown the lid on what would have been a 'top-secret and highly sensitive construction program'. The report goes on to say that China has neither confirmed nor denied the allegations about the missile silos, that once operational could possibly fire nuclear weapons as well. 

The analysts at FAS have tracked the progress of construction at these sites and identified various stages of construction at these sites. Interestingly, China has also been experimenting with different airlock shelters at these sites that are prone to extreme weather such as sandstorms or temperatures dipping below zero degrees Celsius. 

FAS reports that China is using short and long rectangular structures at some sites but has preferred to use round ones at other sites. After a typical period of construction, the shelters are taken out and permanent auxiliary structures are built around the space. In the images analyzed so far, FAS has been able to identify silo hatches as well as cranes being deployed at sites that have also seen wide-turn access roads that are likely to be used for missile transport in the future, the report says.

CNN reports that, unlike the U.S., China follows a minimum deterrence policy, which means that its nuclear arsenal is kept at a minimum to deter attacks from its adversaries. Currently, the arsenal size is expected to be one-tenth of what the U.S. and Russia have. Experts are split whether this 'unprecedented build-up' is a change in China's policy or if it needs more capacity to reach a new minimum.

As FAS concludes in its report, a review conference of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is due early next year and with no confirmation, if these silos actually have missiles in them, this might be a way to get nuclear powers to a discussion about arms control.