Satellite images showed China's more than 100 missile silos being constructed in a desert near the northwestern city of Yumen, according to reports. At least 119 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) silos were pictured by James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey.
Analysts believed that the identical construction sites features the launch facilities for China's massive nuclear arsenal, according to The Washington Post. If completed, the additional more than 100 new missile silos would represent between 250 to 350 stockpile of nuclear weapons for China, relatively smaller stockpile than that of the U.S. and Russia but significantly seen as an effective deterrent against rival countries.
The Hami site, which is still in the early stages of construction is roughly 300 square miles and the Yumen site is around 700 square miles.
However, China has been known to build decoy silos, "if the silos under construction at other sites across China are added to the count, the total comes to about 145 silos under construction," researcher Jeffrey Lewis said.
"We believe China is expanding its nuclear forces in part to maintain a deterrent that can survive a U.S. first strike in sufficient numbers to defeat U.S. missile defenses," Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at MIIS added.
Pentagon officials have also expressed concern about China's growing nuclear advancement, including an expanding arsenal of ICBMs which largely seen as the ultimate weapon of humanity that could bring the end of the world.
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