How Many Nuclear Weapons Does China Have? Warheads and Missiles

China has about 620 nuclear warheads, according to the Federation of American Scientists’ 2026 estimate, making it the world’s third-largest nuclear power after Russia and the United States. It is also the fastest-growing: the arsenal has more than doubled since 2020, and the Pentagon expects it to pass 1,000 warheads by 2030. For the first time China now has a full nuclear triad of land-based missiles, submarines and bombers, all of which were displayed together at the Beijing parade in September 2025.

This guide explains how many weapons China has, how they are delivered and why the build-up matters.

How many nuclear weapons does China have?

China does not publish the size of its arsenal. The best public estimates come from the Federation of American Scientists, which put it at about 620 warheads in 2026, and from the US Department of Defense, which said in its December 2025 report that the stockpile had remained in the low 600s through 2024. For most of the Cold War China kept only a few hundred warheads, under a doctrine of having just enough to retaliate after a nuclear attack. That has changed sharply since 2020.

The new silo fields

The biggest change came to light in 2021, when researchers using commercial satellite images found three large missile silo fields under construction in the deserts of northern China, near Yumen, Hami and Ordos. Together they hold about 320 silos. The Pentagon’s 2025 report says China has probably loaded more than 100 of them with solid-fuel DF-31-class missiles. China is also building about 50 new silos for its older, liquid-fuelled DF-5. The silos give China far more launchers than warheads it currently has, which suggests the build-up has some way to go.

A full nuclear triad

At sea, China operates six Type 094 ballistic missile submarines, now armed with the JL-3 missile, which has a range of more than 9,000 kilometres. That allows them to reach parts of the United States from waters near China. In the air, the H-6N bomber can carry an air-launched ballistic missile, shown publicly for the first time as the JL-1 at the September 2025 parade. On land, the same parade showed the new DF-61 road-mobile missile and the DF-31BJ silo missile, alongside the upgraded DF-5C. Our guide to Chinese missiles describes each of these systems.

Doctrine: “no first use” and launch on warning

China has said since its first nuclear test in 1964 that it will never be the first to use nuclear weapons, and it repeats that pledge today. But the Pentagon says China is moving towards an “early warning counterstrike” posture, similar to launch on warning, in which it would fire its missiles once satellites and radars detect an incoming attack. That requires missiles to be kept at higher readiness, and it is one of the main reasons silos and early-warning satellites are being built. The 2025 Pentagon report also says China may be developing low-yield warheads, below 10 kilotons, for missiles such as the DF-26.

How does China compare with the US and Russia?

China is still far behind. The United States and Russia each have more than 5,000 warheads in total, including retired weapons awaiting dismantlement, and about 1,700 deployed on strategic launchers. But China is not bound by any arms control treaty, and the New START limits between Washington and Moscow expired in February 2026. American planners now face a world with two nuclear peers rather than one. The American arsenal is described in our guide to US nuclear weapons.

Frequently asked questions

How many nuclear weapons does China have?

About 620 warheads in 2026, according to the Federation of American Scientists. The Pentagon said the stockpile was in the low 600s through 2024.

How many nuclear weapons will China have by 2030?

The Pentagon expects China to have more than 1,000 warheads by 2030 if the current pace continues.

Does China have a nuclear triad?

Yes. China can deliver nuclear weapons by land-based missiles, by JL-3 missiles on Type 094 submarines and by H-6N bombers.

Does China have a no-first-use policy?

Yes. China has pledged since 1964 never to use nuclear weapons first, but the Pentagon says it is moving towards a launch-on-warning posture.

How many nuclear missile silos does China have?

China has built about 320 new silos in three fields in northern China since 2021, and is adding about 50 more for its DF-5 missiles.

Can Chinese nuclear missiles reach the United States?

Yes. Its DF-41, DF-31 and DF-5 intercontinental missiles and its JL-3 submarine-launched missiles can reach the United States.