“China has accelerated an expansion of its nuclear arsenal because of a change in its assessment of the threat posed by the U.S., shedding new light on a buildup that is raising tension between the two countries,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The Chinese nuclear effort long predates Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the U.S.’s wariness about getting directly involved in the war there has likely reinforced Beijing’s decision to put greater emphasis on developing nuclear weapons as a deterrent… Chinese leaders see a stronger nuclear arsenal as a way to deter the U.S. from getting directly involved in a potential conflict over Taiwan.”
