As the United States and Russia navigate uncharted waters without a nuclear arms treaty, China’s nuclear buildup is like a storm mounting on the horizon. Beijing has dramatically multiplied its force since Chinese leader Xi Jinping came to power in 2012. China had held its stockpile steady at around 200 since the 1970s. Now, it contains more than 600 nuclear warheads and is projected to exceed 1,000 by 2030, according to a 2025 Pentagon report. China is moving from a land-based force to a land-air-sea nuclear triad. It now has six nuclear-weapons-capable submarines, with one at sea at all times, experts say. Breaking with its traditional second-strike nuclear posture – a modest force designed to survive a first strike and inflict unacceptable damage on a soft target like a city – it’s developing an advanced force capable of taking out enemy nuclear missiles and fighting a nuclear war. Why We Wrote This China is engaged in a huge nuclear weapons expansion, growing the size and capabilities of its arsenal.…