China on Tuesday rejected a draft U.S. Defense Department report claiming Beijing has deployed more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles in silo bases near its border with Mongolia, saying it was "unaware" of such deployments and accusing Washington of exaggeration.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing that similar U.S. claims were a familiar tactic used to justify modernization of U.S. nuclear forces and undermine global strategic stability. He argued the United States, which he described as the world's largest nuclear power, should prioritize substantial reductions in its own arsenal to enable broader nuclear disarmament.
Lin said China recently released a white paper titled China's Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in the New Era, reaffirming Beijing's nuclear policy. He reiterated China's no-first-use pledge and said the country would maintain a self-defense nuclear posture at the minimum level required for national security, without entering an arms race.
He added that China continues to take part in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review processes and meetings among the five recognized nuclear-weapon states, maintaining dialogue on arms control issues.
The U.S. claims were reported by Reuters, which cited a draft Pentagon assessment saying China likely deployed more than 100 solid-fuel Dongfeng-31 missiles across three silo bases near the Mongolian border. While the Defense Department has previously acknowledged the existence of the silo sites, the report marked the first disclosure of the alleged number of missiles and their deployment scale.
The draft assessment also said China is rapidly expanding and modernizing its nuclear forces, projecting that its nuclear warhead stockpile could reach the low 600s by 2024 and exceed 1,000 by 2030. It further assessed that Beijing appears unwilling to engage in arms control negotiations.
Lin also criticized U.S. measures targeting Chinese technology companies, including restrictions on foreign-made drones. He said China opposes what it calls an expanded U.S. national security concept and discriminatory practices that unfairly suppress Chinese firms, urging Washington to provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment.
His comments followed a U.S. Federal Communications Commission announcement that it had added foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems and key components to its Covered List, a move that bars listed equipment from receiving FCC certification for import, sale or distribution in the United States.
- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

Published Date:2025-12-24