3. China
China has a total of 320 nuclear warheads. China developed its nuclear weapons during the Cold War. It tested its first nuclear weapon in 1964 which was to act as a deterrent to both the United States and the Soviet Union. China’s nuclear weapon development was rapid.
In 1967, it tested its first hydrogen bomb. In 1992, China signed the Nuclear-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). China has been increasing its military capacity in East Asia as the U.S. is expanding its military forces in the region. This poses a risk of a conflict that could easily lead to a nuclear war.
Compared to the U.S and Russia, China is very modest in developing nuclear weapons. They have fewer than a hundred that could reach the United States. This is however dependent on the U.S. respecting the treaty. If the United States advances its nuclear development, China will also increase its capabilities to match.
