Joe Biden in March approved a new US nuclear strategy. The documents were top secret and it was not until Tuesday, August 20, information in this matter The New York Times revealed. This is the first time in history that the United States has focused on rapidly expanding China's nuclear arsenal rather than strategic deterrence, the newspaper said. The shift comes as the Pentagon believes China's nuclear arsenal will rival that of the United States and Russia within the next decade.
Biden Approves Top Secret Nuclear Strategy. Who Is the US Focusing on Now?
The NYT reports that for the first time in history, the United States has created a plan to prepare for a possible coordinated nuclear attack by China, Russia, and North Korea. The document analyzes in detail whether the United States is prepared for potential nuclear attacks, both those occurring simultaneously and those carried out one after another.
The White House has never officially announced a revision of its strategy, known as the Nuclear Employment Guidance. The plan is updated every four years and is so secret that it is not even recorded electronically—it exists only on paper. Copies are given to a handful of national security officials and Pentagon commanders. The plan's existence is not classified, only its content.
While the NYT reports on the reorientation to China, “The Guardian” quotes the American Arms Control Association (ACA), according to which the US strategy and posture remain unchanged from the Nuclear Posture Review issued in 2022. This would mean that there has been no turn towards the Middle Kingdom at all.
ACA Executive Director Daryl Kimball says that according to US intelligence, China will increase the number of nuclear warheads it has from 500 to 1,000 by 2030, while Russia has 4,000. Therefore, “Russia remains the main factor influencing US nuclear strategy.”
China outraged by new US strategy, accuses the US of fuelling the conflict
On Wednesday, August 21, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the country was seriously concerned about the new US strategy focused on their country. – reports Reuters.
The United States is spreading the narrative of a nuclear threat from China and is looking for excuses to gain a strategic advantage.
– said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. She added that “the facts prove that the US has been constantly fueling the so-called Chinese nuclear threat theory in recent years.”