NPT Nuclear Weapon State

Arsenal Size

• Most opaque of the nuclear weapon states; limited open source information.
• Total inventory of nuclear warheads: approximately 240 [1]

Key Delivery Systems [2,3,4,5]

• Land-based missiles: Approximately 140. (ICBM: DF-4, DF-5A, DF-31, DF-31A; MRBM: DF-3A, DF-21) [2]
• Aircraft: 20 (Hong-6) [3]
• SLBM: 2 Jin-class SSBNs deployed with more under construction (12 missile capability per SSBN); approximately 12 JL-1 SLBMs and 36 JL-2 SLBMs (neither of which are fully operational) [4]
• Cruise missiles: DH-10 (conventional or nuclear capability); estimated 200-500 missiles with 40-55 launchers. [5]
• The warheads are controlled by the Central Military Commission and kept in central facilities located throughout China. If a nuclear threat should arise, nuclear warheads would be mated with missiles and SSBNs would have to be equipped with warheads before deployment. [6]
• No credible evidence to confirm that non-strategic nuclear weapons still remain in the operational force. [7]

Estimated Destructive Power

• 294 megatons [8]

Military Fissile Material Stockpile (estimates)

• Plutonium: 1.8 ± 0.5 tons of weapon-grade plutonium [9]
• HEU: Estimated 16 ± 4 tons [10]

Disarmament and Commitments to Reduce Arsenal Size

• Legal obligation to pursue disarmament with the other nuclear weapon states under Article VI of the NPT. [11]

Future Commitments

• In support of negotiating a verifiable FMCT provided the treaty does not cover existing stockpiles. [12]

Nuclear Weapons Policies

Nuclear Testing

• Has observed a nuclear testing moratorium since July 1996.[13]
• Signed but did not ratify the CTBT. [14]

Use of Nuclear Weapons

• Adopted no-first use policy [15]
• Negative security assurances to members of the Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, and Pelindaba nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZ). [16] China has not signed the Bangkok treaty, but it has expressed support for a SE Asian NWFZ. [17]
• Acknowledged the commitments of the NWS to negative security assurances in UN Security Council Resolution 984 (1995)[18]
• Supports legally binding unconditional negative security assurances.[19]

Sources:
[1] Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2011," Nuclear Notebook, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, November/December 2011, pp. 81-87, www.thebulletin.org.
[2] Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2011," Nuclear Notebook, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, November/December 2011, pp. 81-87, www.thebulletin.org.
[3] Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2011," Nuclear Notebook, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, November/December 2011, pp. 81-87, www.thebulletin.org.
[4] Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Jin-SSBNs Getting Ready?" FAS Strategic Security Blog, 2 June 2011, www.fas.org/blog/ssp; Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2011," Nuclear Notebook, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, November/December 2011, pp. 81-87, www.thebulletin.org.
[5] Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2011," Nuclear Notebook, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, November/December 2011, pp. 81-87, www.thebulletin.org.
[6] Mark A. Stokes, "China's Nuclear Warhead Storage and Handling System," Project 2049 Institute, 12 March 2010, www.project2049.net; Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2011," Nuclear Notebook, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, November/December 2011, pp. 81-87, www.thebulletin.org.
[7] "Status of World Nuclear Forces," Federation of American Scientists, 7 May 2012, www.fas.org.
[8] Eliminating Nuclear Threats, ICNND Report, www.icnnd.org.
[9] International Panel on Fissile Materials, Global Fissile Material Report2011, www.fissilematerials.org.
[10] International Panel on Fissile Materials, Global Fissile Material Report2011, www.fissilematerials.org.
[11] Inventory of International Nonproliferation Organizations & Regimes, www.nti.org.
[12] "China's National Defense in 2010," Information Office of the State Council, The People's Republic of China (Beijing), March 2011, www.gov.cn/english.
[13] CTBTO website, Nuclear Testing page, www.ctbto.org.
[14] Inventory of International Nonproliferation Organizations & Regimes, www.nti.org; Kingston Reif, "The Case for the CTBT: Stronger Than Ever," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Web Edition, 9 April 2012, www.thebulletin.org.
[15] Statement by H.E. Mr. Wu Haitao, Chinese Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs on the Issue of Nuclear Disarmament at the First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2015 Review Conference, 3 May 2012, www.reachingcriticalwill.org.
[16] Nuclear-Weapons-Free-Zone (NWFZ) Clearinghouse, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, cns.miis.edu.
[17] Peter Crail, "Progress Made on SE Asian Nuclear Pact," Arms Control Today, Vol. 41, December 2011, www.armscontrol.org.
[18] Nuclear-Weapons-Free-Zone (NWFZ) Clearinghouse, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, cns.miis.edu.
[19] "Nuclear Disarmament and the Reduction of the Danger of Nuclear War," Working Paper submitted by China to the 2015 NPT Review Conference, 27 April 2012, www.reachingcriticalwill.org.