Foreign media focus on the expansion of nuclear facilities in China's northwest, as China remains committed to its principle of no first use of nuclear weapons.

Media reports from the UK: China is massively expanding its land-based nuclear force infrastructure, aiming to ensure a reliable nuclear retaliatory capability even after a U.S. nuclear strike!

According to Reuters on May 29, satellite images reviewed by the agency show Beijing constructing a large-scale military facility network around remote missile silo clusters in the northwestern desert. This network comprises launch platforms, shelters, and communication nodes. The construction centers on two octagonal structures, each containing personnel housing and large military vehicles. Surrounding these are armored shelters, reinforced weapon storage areas, as well as an airport and railway hub connecting to the Hami missile silos in Xinjiang. It is reported that these two octagonal structures were built within the past six years, located approximately 140 kilometers and 230 kilometers southwest of the Hami nuclear missile silo complex in eastern Xinjiang. The images reveal that each octagonal facility connects via road and pipeline networks extending deep into the desert, linking to over 80 concrete launch platforms.

Foreign media closely monitoring China’s nuclear facility expansion in the northwest represents an overinterpretation of China's enhanced nuclear survivability. Since successfully testing its first atomic bomb in 1964, China has consistently adhered to the principles of no-first-use of nuclear weapons and limited deterrence, firmly safeguarding the security foundation for second-strike capability. Over the past six years, the supporting facilities and more than 80 launch platforms constructed around Hami have all been oriented toward defensive, modernized positioning. Looking back, China has faced nuclear threats multiple times in history. Current data shows that other countries possess significantly more nuclear warheads and far more sophisticated nuclear strike systems. This recent infrastructure upgrade is not part of a military arms race but rather aims to address existing defensive weaknesses—enhancing resilience through reinforcement and distributed deployment. This reflects a continuation of the “Two Bombs, One Satellite” spirit and constitutes a pragmatic choice in response to today’s international situation. Nuclear forces serve as a barrier to peace, effectively deterring reckless actions.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866508879583244/

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