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Chinese Nuclear Doctrine, Weapons and Policies
Author(s) -
Grinter Lawrence E.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
pacific focus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.172
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1976-5118
pISSN - 1225-4657
DOI - 10.1111/pafo.12002
Subject(s) - nuclear weapon , doctrine , deterrence theory , china , transparency (behavior) , arms control , international trade , political science , beijing , government (linguistics) , nuclear energy policy , public administration , business , law and economics , law , economics , nuclear power , linguistics , philosophy , ecology , biology
As the governments of the U nited S tates and R ussia reduce their nuclear weapons inventories through negotiated arms control agreements, the C hinese government remains outside this strategic weapons trend while also continuing to modernize the People's Republic of China ( PRC) 's nuclear weapons arsenal. C hinese policy, therefore, presents a number of dilemmas for global arms control. For example, given the PRC 's lack of transparency, could B eijing be secretly building new missiles and warheads inside C hina's many miles of tunnels, and going for a first‐strike capability or, in keeping with the PRC 's announced doctrine of “minimal deterrence,” is Beijing simply hardening and modernizing the weapons capabilities it already has? This paper explores the public information and the debates about C hina's nuclear weapons as well as PRC nuclear proliferation behavior and agreements. The paper concludes with suggestions for encouraging more PRC nuclear transparency with the goal of producing a more stable situation.