Pentagon: Chinese nuke force growing faster than predicted

By ROBERT BURNS
AP National Security Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says China is expanding its nuclear force much faster than U.S. officials predicted just a year ago. In a report to Congress, the Pentagon says this highlights a broad and accelerating expansion of military power designed to enable Beijing to match or surpass American global influence and power by mid-century. The report says the number of Chinese nuclear warheads could increase to 700 within six years and may top 1,000 by 2030. The report did not say how many weapons China has today; a year ago the Pentagon said the figure was in the “low 200s.”