Japan media focus on Chinese "underground Great Wall": nuclear power far beyond imagination

According to Japan's "diplomats" magazine website reported on August 20, March 2008, China Central Television network news media for the storage of nuclear missiles, China's Second Artillery Corps reinforced the new tunnel. The tunnel length of 5,000 km, commenced in 1995. Allegedly, hundreds of meters deep in the tunnel; allowing it to withstand conventional missiles, or nuclear missile attack. People's Liberation Army newspaper in December 2009 has this report were confirmed.

The event should cause a huge shock, but not the Western media attention, largely to Asian media reported. South Korea, "Chosun Ilbo" reports during the time known as the "underground Great Wall"; Washington, "Jamestown Foundation" and "China Briefing" later have been reported, but the report is basically a reference to the initial report.


In fact, construction of reinforced tunnels to protect Beijing's missile forces no. Since the early Cold War years, has not destroyed the ability of two-hit countries has been regarded as a god standard. In theory, able to withstand the enemy first-strike nuclear forces to deter the enemy, so afraid to take risks to fight. If he knew his actions would lead to a huge revenge, no clear enemy will first nuclear strike.

PLA Second Artillery Force nuclear missile silo

This helps to increase deterrence of strategic stability between the two countries; a long time, China has been maintaining a minimum nuclear deterrent capability, relatively small-scale deployment based intercontinental ballistic missiles. In the article the author's view, as long as the missile can be left home to retaliate against the enemy, the minimum nuclear deterrent will be able to make them give up the idea for China to take action. Beijing has been engaged in nuclear weapons modernization, the number of warheads is about 150-400 pieces. Even if the United States and Russia to launch a new arms control, this power is still more general.


However, the minimum nuclear deterrence will be better than the past few decades the Chinese army to deploy more effective. "Minimum" is a relatively vague concept; In addition, Chinese officials and authorities have been on the adoption of "limited nuclear deterrence" strategy heated debate, the "limited" is still a vague concept.


It is reported that the size of this tunnel to show the prospects of China's nuclear strategy. Combining all the known data, this conclusion is not hard: the number of Chinese nuclear warheads than the largest outside the original estimate even more, the number of its ballistic missiles could reach as much as 3600. "Underground Great Wall" can be easily stored so many missiles. At least, it reflects Beijing's new choice. Latest United States and Russia signed the "Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty" between the two countries will limit the number of 1550 nuclear warheads; but in fact, the number of nuclear warheads the two countries likely to remain at 2000 or so.


Even so, the secret to change the minimum deterrence strategy Liberation Army, began in Hebei tunnel can store hundreds of new nuclear weapons. It will be a sudden change in the strategic balance, to achieve the balance of the United States and Russia, or close to the balance of power. On this issue, it is necessary to focus and be considered.

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