Contents

SIPRI Yearbook 2022

SIPRI Yearbook 2022

V. Chinese nuclear forces

Chapter:
10. World nuclear forces
Source:
SIPRI Yearbook 2022
Author(s):
Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda

As of January 2022, China maintained an estimated total stockpile of about 350 nuclear warheads. This estimate is higher than the ‘low-200’ warheads reported in the United States Department of Defense (US DOD) 2020 report to the US Congress; however, the DOD’s estimate only referred to ‘operational’ nuclear warheads and therefore presumably excluded warheads assigned to the newer launchers that were in the process of being fielded.1 As a result, even though SIPRI’s estimate of China’s total inventory is the same as for January 2021, the ratio of stockpiled and other stored warheads has changed because additional and new launchers became operational during 2021. These warheads have been assigned to China’s operational land-and sea-based ballistic missiles and to nuclear-configured aircraft (see table 10.6). Although it is expected to increase significantly in the next decade, China’s nuclear stockpile as at January 2022 remained much smaller than that of either Russia or the USA.

Citation (MLA):
Kristensen, Hans M., and Matt Korda. "10. World nuclear forces." SIPRI Yearbook. SIPRI. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2016. Web. 16 Feb. 2025. <https://www.sipriyearbook.org/view/9780192883032/sipri-9780192883032-chapter-010-div1-052.xml>.
Citation (APA):
Kristensen, H., & Korda, M. (2016). 10. World nuclear forces. In SIPRI, SIPRI Yearbook 2022: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 16 Feb. 2025, from https://www.sipriyearbook.org/view/9780192883032/sipri-9780192883032-chapter-010-div1-052.xml
Citation (Chicago):
Kristensen, Hans M., and Matt Korda. "10. World nuclear forces." In SIPRI Yearbook 2022: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security, SIPRI. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016). Retrieved 16 Feb. 2025, from https://www.sipriyearbook.org/view/9780192883032/sipri-9780192883032-chapter-010-div1-052.xml
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