Last August, President Joe Biden signs classified nuclear plan to counter China’s. U.S. policymakers are increasingly concerned about China’s rapid nuclear expansion and its implications for global security. President Joe Biden has approved a revised nuclear strategy aimed at addressing potential coordinated nuclear confrontations with Russia, China, and North Korea. This move, first reported by The New York Times[1], signals the administration’s acknowledgment of a rapidly evolving global nuclear landscape, where traditional arms control agreements are fading and new threats are emerging.

The White House confirmed on last August that the strategy, known as the Nuclear Employment Guidance, was approved earlier this year. However, the administration emphasized that the policy is not a direct response to any specific country or immediate threat. “The specific text of the guidance is classified,” had said White House spokesperson Sean Savett, “its existence is in no way secret. The guidance issued earlier this year is not a response to any single entity, country, nor threat.” There is rising concerns over China and Russia’s nuclear capabilities. The new strategy comes amid growing concerns over China’s rapid nuclear expansion and Russia’s increasingly aggressive posturing. The New York Times highlighted that the U.S. is particularly worried about the rapid buildup of China’s nuclear arsenal, which is expected to rival the size and diversity of U.S. and Russian stockpiles within the next decade.

[1] « Biden Approved Secret Nuclear Strategy Refocusing on Chinese Threat » In a classified document approved in March, the president ordered U.S. forces to prepare for possible coordinated nuclear confrontations with Russia, China and North Korea. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/20/us/politics/biden-nuclear-china-russia.html

Read more on October 1st, 2024.