The Real Reason Behind China's Nuclear Expansion

Under Xi Jinping, China has shifted away from its old approach of nuclear deterrence toward a much more aggressive strategy of nuclear expansion. Why this sudden change? 

Experts debate whether China’s nuclear buildup is a move toward aggression or just a response to improvements in America’s nuclear capabilities. In his report, Senior Fellow Tong Zhao explores this debate. He found that China's nuclear expansion is motivated by several major political factors:

1. Perception: Beijing increasingly perceives the U.S. and anti-China sentiment as an existential threat.
2. Mismatched goals: Washington has traditionally pursued nuclear stability to prevent specific military threats, Beijing wants nuclear weapons to help counter both military and political threats.
3. Internal bureaucratic dynamics: Under Xi, Beijing’s nuclear decision-making has become more centralized and less reliant on expertise.
4. Regime insecurity: China’s growing authoritarianism has amplified its threat perception by (a) attributing international problems solely to external factors and (b) fostering information and perception gaps.

With these perception gaps comes a dilemma: when the U.S. defends what it views as basic facts and universal values, China sees disinformation and public opinion warfare. So how can the U.S. and China improve their mutual understanding and nuclear relationship? 

Find out by reading the full report here.

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