China Reportedly Has 600 Nuclear Warheads, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Banks Weapons Race

JAKARTA - China says it maintains its nuclear capabilities at a minimum level and has never been involved in the arms race, as the country's number of nuclear warheads reportedly increases.

China is likely to increase its nuclear warheads by 2024 by 100 to 600, according to an international security think tank on Monday.

The number of nuclear warheads globally slightly decreased to 12,241 according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in its annual report, but concerns "the dangerous new nuclear arms race is emerging."

Russia is reportedly the owner of the largest nuclear warhead, reaching 5,459 pieces, followed by the United States with 5,177 upstream saliva, bringing the two to control about 90 percent of the world's nuclear warheads, the report said, as reported by Kyodo News June 16.

Meanwhile, North Korea is expected to have about 50 nuclear warheads in January, the same as last year, and enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more warheads.

On the other hand, Israel is reported to have 90 nuclear warheads even though the country does not publicly recognize its holdings.

Separately, China says it has always adhered to a nuclear strategy to defend itself and not participate in any arms race, in response to reports that mention an increase in its nuclear warheads, quoted from China Daily.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a daily press conference, the Bamboo Curtain Country would not comment on the report.

He stressed that China has always maintained its nuclear power at the minimum level needed for national security, remains strongly committed to safeguarding its legitimate security interests and to maintaining world peace and stability.

He added that China upholds the policy of not using nuclear weapons first, under any circumstances and at any time, and has made an unconditional commitment not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against countries that do not have nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons-free zones, making China the only country that owns nuclear weapons adopts such policies.