The prime contractor for China’s nuclear projects saw a massive year-over-year increase in military orders, suggesting Beijing’s increased efforts to expand its military nuclear capabilities.
China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Group Corporation Limited reported that the value of their military contracts nearly quadrupled in the first seven months compared to last year.
Observers said the numbers reflect China’s relentless efforts to catch up with the United States, which is increasingly concerned about China’s nuclear capabilities, including recent reports of missile silo building.
A statement on Wednesday said the company had received approximately 17.2 billion yuan ($ 2.65 billion) in new military contracts through July, up 391 percent from the same period last year.
As a state-listed company, China Nuclear Engineering and Construction is a contractor for national defense industry projects. It operates primarily in the military, nuclear, and industrial and civil engineering projects, and has developed high-tech projects in the nuclear, aerospace, aviation, shipping and weapons sectors, according to the company’s website.
The military technology sector in particular saw a sharp increase in new contracts, which rose by 302.2 percent in June and 332.4 percent in May compared to the previous year.
The boost to military nuclear technology is in line with China’s strategy to strengthen its defense forces, according to the company’s 2020 annual report, which noted that “The world’s great powers are accelerating the development of advanced defense and military technologies and investing in the Nuclear Energy ”.
Song Zhongping, a former PLA instructor, said it was normal and necessary for China to increase the number of nuclear weapons and improve the country’s nuclear capabilities in the face of the growing challenges posed by the US and its suppression strategy.
“The payment [released by the company] indicate a trend to expand our nuclear weapons and energy systems, which fall under the nuclear military technology sector, ”he said.
“It is necessary that we expand our capabilities in this area in order to maintain national security on our own as the United States increasingly challenges China and delves deeper into China’s internal affairs.”
The US has expressed growing concern over China’s nuclear arsenal in recent months, repeatedly calling on China to join it and Russia in a new arms control treaty.
Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a meeting with foreign ministers from Asian and partner countries, expressed deep concern about China’s growing nuclear arsenal, saying it highlighted “how Beijing has deviated greatly from its decades-old minimum-based nuclear strategy.” Deterrence”.
Last month, US think tank reports based on satellite imagery said China is apparently building hundreds of new silos for nuclear missiles, despite Chinese media hinting it was a wind farm.
Li Bin, a nuclear expert at Tsinghua University, said it was difficult to explain the factors behind the strong growth of the company’s military nuclear projects: it could be due to a low base last year caused by the pandemic. However, if China actually built more nuclear silos, it was acting responsibly only by improving its “strategic stability”.
“If the reports that China is building more silos are true, it means that it will be harder for the US to attack China, which is a responsible attitude as it improves strategic stability,” Li said.
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SCMP, South China Morning Post, China, Nuclear Weapons, China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Group Corporation Limited Overseas, ANC, ANC Top, Diplomacy
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