“China’s entire nuclear weapons posture, and its relatively small arsenal of about 250 warheads, is based on its pledge of no first use, according to Pan Zhenqiang, former director of strategic studies at China’s National Defense University.
Although that pledge is “extremely unlikely” to change, missile defense, space-based weapons, or other new technologies that threaten the credibility of China’s deterrent could lead to a policy shift and a buildup of its nuclear stockpile, said Pan, who is also a retired major general in the People’s Liberation Army.”

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