Chinese nuclear forces, 2008

0 F THE FIVE ORIGINAL NUclear weapon states, China alone is believed to be increasing its nuclear arsenal, boosting its numbers by roughly 25 percent since 2005, according to Pentagon estimates.! Other significant nuclear-related events in China include the deployment of the long-predicted Dong Feng (DF)-31 and DF-31A nuclearcapable ballistic missiles and the Dong Hai (DH)-1o nuclear-capable cruise missile. Since 1997, the Pentagon has published an annual unclassified assessment of ChiLand-based missiles. The most important nuclear development of the last two years in China has been its deployment of the new DF-31 and DF-31A missiles. China deploys a total of approximately 120 land-based, nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, including four other types: the DF-3A, DF-4, DF-5A, and DF-21.3 Contrary to common speculation that Chinese ballistic missiles carry multiple warheads, the U.S. intelligence community has consistently assessed that they are single-warhead weapons. The DF-31A is a solid-