Is China Changing Its Nuclear Launch Strategy?

Certain behaviors suggest it may be preparing to adopt one of the Cold War’s most dangerous policies.

Chinese People’s Liberation Army soldiers take in the view of a Chinese-made Dongfeng 1 missile from a balcony at the Military Museum in Beijing. August 5, 2025, 10:11 AM Comment icon View Comments ( )

During his visit to Moscow in May, Chinese President Xi Jinping released a joint statement with Russian President Vladimir Putin that emphasized nuclear-weapon states’ special responsibility to “reject Cold War mentality” and “refrain from actions that generate strategic risks.”

For decades, China charted a somewhat different path from the world’s two nuclear superpowers, maintaining a relaxed nuclear posture in comparison to the

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