China's Nuclear Weapons Show Fear of 'Large Scale War': Trump Official

Reports of China's buildup of nuclear weapons show that the nation may be fearing a "large-scale war," a former Trump official said.

In a post to X, formerly Twitter on Thursday, Elbridge Colby, who served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development under former President Donald Trump's administration, shared an article from the New York Times discussing a buildup of nuclear weapons in China.

"The only plausible reason for China's major nuclear buildup is because it fears a large-scale war with America. China already had a nuclear deterrent. So why the breakout? It gives a lot more options and leverage to Beijing in a WestPac conflict," the post from Colby said.

Newsweek reached out to the Marathon Initiative where Colby is the co-founder, via email for comment.

On Wednesday, the New York Times published a report titled "China Quietly Rebuilds Secretive Base for Nuclear Tests," which used satellite imagery to show possible construction of nuclear weapons in China's Lop Nur lake, which was the site where China tested its first atomic bomb over 50 years ago.

According to the New York Times, the satellite imagery captured dirt roads near the Lop Nur lake, tunnels created on the sides of a nearby mountain and an array of security fences, which they said were "consistent with the handling of high explosives and nuclear devices."

Tong Zhao, an expert in nuclear weaponry for Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told the New York Times that the images "points to China making preparations that would let it resume nuclear tests."

However, in response to recent questions about construction at Lop Nur, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said these reports were "utterly irresponsible," the New York Times reported.

Over the past several months, tensions have remained high between the U.S. and China amid disagreements over Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

The Global Times, a Chinese state-run tabloid, previously published an op-ed criticizing relations between Taiwan and the U.S. saying, "With the increasing number and intensity of its intervention methods, the brewing and imminent storm of lethal consequences for Taiwan cannot be ignored."

Chinese President Xi Jinping also recently commented on Taiwan during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, saying, "The U.S. side should take real actions to honor its commitment of not supporting 'Taiwan independence,' stop arming Taiwan, and support China's peaceful reunification...China will realize reunification, and this is unstoppable."

In October, the Pentagon published a report regarding China's nuclear weapon capabilities which said "The PRC [People's Republic of China] is expanding the number of its land-, sea-, and air-based nuclear delivery platforms while investing in and constructing the infrastructure necessary to support further expansion of its nuclear forces."

According to the report, in 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense estimated that China was in possession of over 500 operational nuclear warheads and will likely have over 1,000 by the end of 2023.

Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via email for comment.