China and Nuclear Weapons Part II

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Ah Wikileaks, what would we do without you. Recent diplomatic cables show that the United States is trying and failing to get China to be more transparent about its nuclear arsenal. No surprise there, but what is concerning is what US military experts feel could be the reasons for China covering up most aspects of its nuclear program. The leaks state that Chief Deputy of the PLA, Ma Xiaotian told American defense officials that the expansion of China's nuclear arsenal was an "imperative reality" and there should be "no limit on technical progress", also saying that "it is impossible for China to change its decades-old way of doing business to become transparent using the US model".

In plain English: "As a designated nuclear power we have the right to build as many warheads as we want and we are under no obligation to keep the world informed on its details". Technically, that rendition is correct. China does not have to disclose the details on its nuclear program to the US the UN or anybody. It is one of the perks of being one of the five designated nuclear states by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Perhaps even more so than the US, China's neighbor Japan has had deep concerns over the secrecy of its nuclear program. Japan has taken notice to China's "increasingly bold" military practices and has become concerned that China is trying to eventually create an arsenal on par with that of the US and Russia, 10,000 warheads (I dont even think China has that much Uranium). Since the US and Russia signed the New START Treaty, which will cut both countries strategic stockpiles significantly, Japan fears China is taking the opportunity in America's stockpile reduction to build up its own. In fact it has gotten to the point where Japan is so worried, they're actually asking America to build up their nuclear strike capabilities and delivery systems. When Japan is asking you to invest in nuclear weapons rather than eliminate them, you know they must be worried. Japan wants America to stay powerful in the region to deter China from doing "something stupid" in regards to its nuclear weapons.

China has repetitively stated that its nuclear program is purely defensive in nature and even points to its no first use policy. However, most nuclear experts believe that promise to be complete bullcrap.

In the meantime, why not simulate your impending doom with this neat nuclear fallout simulator.

On the subject of nuclear war

You may find this interesting. Neil B a really strange guy who converted to Judaism, became a Muslim and then a Hindu he was a more complicated person than me.

Anyway he once told me 75% of the Chinese population can go underground in case of a nuclear attack. I never believed him for years until I found out about it a couple years ago. I must have walked past the entrance 100 times in the many visits to Beijing I make and never noticed it.

There is one in Shanghai too as well as Chongqing and who knows how many more...

Hey does anybody remember the fallout game series?

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Heh

China and Nuclear Weapons

It appears there is some misconception on the status on nuclear weapons in China. Id thought I should clean things up.

China’s nuclear weapons program began shortly after the PRC’s founding. Mao Zedong believed China would never be taken seriously without nuclear warheads, and that they would be under constant “nuclear blackmail” from the US. With the help of the Soviet Union, China built its first nuclear reactors. They also relied on the Soviets for nuclear materials such as yellowcake. After the Sino-Soviet split in the early 1960’s, China had lost its assistance from the USSR, but was determined to “break the west’s monopoly on nuclear weapons”. On October 16, 1964 China detonated its first atomic bomb, code named ‘596’, in Lop Nur. Within a few years, they tested their first hydrogen bomb and created warheads for ICBM’s.

Today, China is one of the five recognized nuclear powers. Its current stockpile is believed to be about 250 warheads. For comparison, the UK has just over 200, France about 350, the US has over 10,000 and Russia has almost 12,000 (enough to destroy the earth ten times over).

China has signed and ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. China is also the only nuclear state with a ‘no first use’ policy, meaning they promise not to use nuclear weapons against any country unless nuclear weapons are used on China first. As seen in my very first post, China has ICBM’s that can carry warheads anywhere in the world except South America.

The ROC/Taiwan currently does not possess nuclear weapons. However in 1967, shortly after China’s hydrogen bomb test, the ROC began a secret nuclear weapons program. Out of the facade of creating energy, Taiwan was able to acquire nuclear materials from the US and Canada. By the 1970’s Taiwan was able to produce weapons grade plutonium in large enough quantities for a bomb. But the US soon found out about the program and pressured Taiwan to dismantle it in 1976.

There is currently no intelligence of Taiwan possessing a bomb, yet they do have the resources to construct one. The PRC has stated that possession of nuclear weapons by the ROC would be grounds for immediate military action. With that kind of threat breathing down their necks, I highly doubt the ROC would risk having a secret nuclear weapons program.

And now for some delicious footage.

Apparently this is from Trinity and Beyond a documentary on the atomic bomb. I have no idea if actual footage of the test exists. If this is real you can easily see the huge propaganda aspect of it.