China loads dozens of ICBMs in underground silos, accelerating its military buildup; Is Beijing planning something big?

New Delhi: According to a draft Pentagon report, China has reportedly loaded more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles into three newly constructed silo fields (underground missile bases) near its border with Mongolia. The report also claims that China is accelerating its military buildup and that Beijing is on track to produce more than 1,000 warheads by 2030.

While the Pentagon had previously disclosed the existence of the silo fields, it had not publicly estimated how many missiles were housed inside them.

Which Missiles Are Deployed And What Is Their Target?

China has likely loaded more than 100 solid-fueled DF-31 intercontinental ballistic missiles into the silo fields near the Mongolian border. US officials said the report did not identify the potential targets of the newly loaded missiles and that the report could be subject to change before being formally submitted to Congress.

The Taiwan Connection

The report states that China is working on options to forcibly occupy Taiwan, including long-range attacks up to 2,000 nautical miles from the mainland.

However, experts also say that it is surprising that China has only loaded missiles in 100 of the recently built silos. This indicates that the People’s Liberation Army is facing a shortage of funds. The experts warned that there are major weaknesses hidden in China’s military buildup. Defense analyst Seth Jones says the People’s Liberation Army is struggling with corruption, poor coordination, and a lack of real combat experience.

Trump Wants Talks On Nuclear Disarmament

According to Reuters, China is showing little interest in arms control talks and expanding and modernizing its nuclear forces faster than any other nuclear power. Last month, US President Doland Trump said he might discuss nuclear disarmament with China and Russia. However, a Pentagon report concluded that Beijing does not appear willing to participate.