Article content continuedChina’s nuclear capability … is expected to double this decadeThe direst warning from Admiral Richard was that “China is on a trajectory to be a strategic peer to us by the end of the decade. So, for the first time ever the U.S. is going to face two, peer capable nuclear competitors (Russia and China) who are different, who you have to deter differently. We have never faced that before.” He emphasized that there was no margin of error for the U.S. to modernize its massive nuclear arsenal (3,800+ warheads) to respond to China’s moves. China’s next generation of nuclear missile submarines, the Type 096, and an advanced new missile they are expected to carry would be able to target the U.S. from China’s shores, thereby reducing the risk that they might be spotted in advance. Even with an economy less than that of Canada — US$1.66 trillion GDP versus US$1.71 trillion in 2018 — Russia under Vladimir Putin still poses a real nuclear threat, especially if it could strike a modus vivendi with China.

Source: National Post September 28, 2020 19:48 UTC