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Even as she admitted that ‘China becomes more assertive in the pursuit of its interests’ New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said her country will continue to cooperate with Beijing on “shared interests”. Speaking to the China Business Summit in Auckland, the prime minister said she was planning a trip to China ‘to seize new opportunities for dialogue’, support the trade relationship, and further cooperate on the climate crisis. She said there are shared interests on which China and New Zealand can and should cooperate. The Prime Minister said her government will see how much it has to lose should the international rules-based system falter.   Her remarks came as the commander of the United States military in the Pacific Admiral John Aquilino said that he wants to expand and strengthen its ties with New Zealand. His visit to Wellington comes as the U.S. is looking to increase its presence in the region amid deep concerns over China's growing ambitions in the Pacific. 

Jacinda Ardern: will continue to cooperate with ‘more assertive’ China

Jacinda Arder: will continue to cooperate with ‘more assertive’ China

Her remarks came as the commander of the United States military in the Pacific Admiral John Aquilino said that he wants to expand and strengthen its ties with New Zealand.&nbsp;

Even as she admitted that &lsquo;China becomes more assertive in the pursuit of its interests&rsquo; New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said her country will continue to cooperate with Beijing on &ldquo;shared interests&rdquo;.&nbsp; Speaking to the China Business Summit in Auckland, the prime minister said she was planning a trip to China &lsquo;to seize new opportunities for dialogue&rsquo;, support the trade relationship, and further cooperate on the climate crisis.&nbsp; She said there are shared interests on which China and New Zealand can and should cooperate. The Prime Minister said her government will see how much it has to lose should the international rules-based system falter. &nbsp; &nbsp; Her remarks came as the commander of the United States military in the Pacific Admiral John Aquilino said that he wants to expand and strengthen its ties with New Zealand.&nbsp; His visit to Wellington comes as the U.S. is looking to increase its presence in the region amid deep concerns over China's growing ambitions in the Pacific.&nbsp;
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/china-warns-against-taiwan-interference-in-2-hour-talk-between-joe-biden-and-xi-jinping-1659059300308">China warns against Taiwan interference in 2-hour talk between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping</a>

Japanese adventurer Kenichi Horie at 83 just became the oldest person in the world to complete a solo, nonstop voyage across the Pacific Ocean — and he says he is still “in the middle of my youth” and not done yet.
Horie returned home as he crossed the Kii Strait off Japan's western coast early Saturday, completing his trans-Pacific solo voyage in 69 days after leaving a yacht harbour in San Francisco in late March.
On Sunday, after spending the night on his 19-foot-long, 990-kilogram Suntory Mermaid III just off the coast, Horie was towed into his home port of Shin Nishinomiya yacht harbour, where he was cheered by local residents and supporters, some holding banners that read: “Welcome back, Mr. Kenichi Horie!”
As he approached the harbour, Horie, standing in his boat, took off his white cap and waved. Then he got off the boat, took off the cap again and bowed deeply on the pier before he was presented with bouquets of roses.
“Thank you for waiting!” said Horie, tanned and with his white hair longer than usual.
He carried a stock of medicine from San Francisco, he said, but only used eye drops and band-aids during his more than two months alone at sea.
He said he “burned all my body and soul” on the journey but says he's ready for more.
“I will keep up my work to be a late bloomer,” he said.It was the latest record-setting achievement for the octogenarian adventurer, who in 1962 became the first person in the world to successfully complete a solo nonstop voyage across the Pacific from Japan to San Francisco.

83-year-old Japanese man crosses Pacific Ocean solo

Japanese adventurer Kenichi Horie at 83 has become the oldest person in the world to complete a solo, nonstop voyage across the Pacific Ocean

Japanese adventurer Kenichi Horie at 83 just became the oldest person in the world to complete a solo, nonstop voyage across the Pacific Ocean &mdash; and he says he is still &ldquo;in the middle of my youth&rdquo; and not done yet.
Horie returned home as he crossed the Kii Strait off Japan's western coast early Saturday, completing his trans-Pacific solo voyage in 69 days after leaving a yacht harbour in San Francisco in late March.
On Sunday, after spending the night on his 19-foot-long, 990-kilogram Suntory Mermaid III just off the coast, Horie was towed into his home port of Shin Nishinomiya yacht harbour, where he was cheered by local residents and supporters, some holding banners that read: &ldquo;Welcome back, Mr. Kenichi Horie!&rdquo; 
As he approached the harbour, Horie, standing in his boat, took off his white cap and waved. Then he got off the boat, took off the cap again and bowed deeply on the pier before he was presented with bouquets of roses.
&ldquo;Thank you for waiting!&rdquo; said Horie, tanned and with his white hair longer than usual.
He carried a stock of medicine from San Francisco, he said, but only used eye drops and band-aids during his more than two months alone at sea. 
He said he &ldquo;burned all my body and soul&rdquo; on the journey but says he's ready for more.
&ldquo;I will keep up my work to be a late bloomer,&rdquo; he said. It was the latest record-setting achievement for the octogenarian adventurer, who in 1962 became the first person in the world to successfully complete a solo nonstop voyage across the Pacific from Japan to San Francisco.

Sidhu Moose Wala’s killing in broad daylight, linked to inter-gang rivalry, has laid bare the Indo-Canadian criminal nexus. Is Punjab’s ‘gun culture’ problem contributing? Vikram Chandra speaks to experts on how India can fight organised crime.

The India Story Episode 9 | Sidhu Moose Wala killed: Need to counter Indo-Canadian criminal nexus?

Sidhu Moose Wala&rsquo;s killing in broad daylight, linked to inter-gang rivalry, has laid bare the Indo-Canadian criminal nexus. Is Punjab&rsquo;s &lsquo;gun culture&rsquo; problem contributing? Vikram Chandra speaks to experts on how India can fight organised crime.

Rapper and politician Sidhu Moose Wala was shot and killed while driving his car in Mansa, Punjab. Police has linked the crime to an inter-gang rivalry, and zeroed in on known gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is lodged in Tihar Jail, and Goldy Brar, who is based in Canada. How is a known gangster, behind bars, able to orchestrate a political murder? Why is a Canada based gangster able to order killings in India?
Also Watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/the-india-story-episode-7-global-inflation-woes-can-india-s-economy-emerge-victorious-1653055109926" target="_blank">The India Story Episode 7 | Global inflation woes: Can India&rsquo;s economy emerge victorious?</a>
This week on The India Story, Vikram Chandra discusses with experts and political representatives the need to counter the Indo-Canadian criminal nexus in Punjab. We also look at Sidhu Moose Wala&rsquo;s fast-paced rise as a young star in the world of music, his assertive lyrics which endeared him to fans and courted controversy, and his relationship with the &lsquo;gun culture&rsquo; many see as endemic in Punjab&rsquo;s pop culture.
Also Watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/the-india-story-episode-8-quad-vs-china-game-on-in-the-indo-pacific-1653661841022" target="_blank">The India Story Episode 8 | Quad vs China: &lsquo;Game on&rsquo; in the Indo-Pacific?</a>
We also take a look at China&rsquo;s failed attempt to sign a sweeping agreement with ten Pacific nations, and how India can leverage its position to assume a greater role in the region.
Watch The India Story with Vikram Chandra, Fridays at 8 pm. Download the Editorji app: www.editorji.com/download

China's latest attempt to establish itself as a global power suffered a major blow on May 30. Ten Pacific nations refused to sign off on a wide-ranging agreement, just weeks after Beijing's security pact with Solomon Islands caused major worry among India's Quad allies.
So, what was the latest agreement that China tried to foist on Pacific island nations? Why did they refuse? And, what does Beijing's Pacific push means for India and its allies?
A draft of the proposed multilateral agreement obtained by The Associated Press said that China wanted to train police forces in the Pacific nations, collaborate with them on "traditional and non-traditional" security, jointly develop a marine plan for fisheries, have greater cooperation in running of internet networks in the region, and also explore the idea of a free trade area among the participating nations.
ALSO WATCH | 30 Chinese planes enter Taiwan's air defence zone, biggest incursion since January
However, several of the Pacific nations wanted to defer action or have it amended, as per news agency Reuters. The President of the Federated States of Micronesia is reported to have made the strongest pitch against signing China's agreement. He called the pact the "single, most game-changing proposed agreement in Pacific in our lifetimes" which "threatens to bring a new Cold War era at best, and a World War at worst".
In what appeared to be a not-so-veiled message, Fiji's Prime Minister tweeted that the Pacific needs genuine partners, not superpowers that are super-focused on power. It wasn't clear whether the message was aimed at China, or the West.
China did manage small victories, signing agreements with individual nations regarding police fingerprint labs, civil air transport, and bridge construction.
But the most worrisome agreement has been the one announced by Beijing and the Solomon Islands in April 2022. As per a leaked draft, the agreement allows Chinese warships to dock at the island nation, and send forces to the island to ensure law and order. Both the countries denied that it's a precursor to China setting up a military base at the island, but the West is not convinced.
What worries the West is that China would post military assets very close to Australia and New Zealand. Also, with its presence on Solomon Islands, Beijing could very easily block vital shipping lanes in the region, holding the world trade to ransom.
With the Pacific becoming a new flashpoint, India will assume a greater role in the region. India is becoming increasingly important to the West as it tries to limit China's sphere of influence. Leveraging its position, Delhi can push for greater defence technology sharing by developed nations, and also better trade pacts to counter Beijing's economic heft.
China's latest moves will also inspire Quad to take more concrete steps. The situation also ensures greater diplomatic support for India on the international stage, while raising the possibility that China might be more circumspect about aggressive moves at the border.

Explained: China snubbed by Pacific nations, 'World War' warning, how India can take advantage

With the Pacific becoming a new flashpoint, India will assume a greater role in the region, and Delhi can leverage its position to push for greater defence technology-sharing by developed nations, and also better trade pacts to counter Beijing's economic heft.

China's latest attempt to establish itself as a global power suffered a major blow on May 30. Ten Pacific nations refused to sign off on a wide-ranging agreement, just weeks after Beijing's security pact with Solomon Islands caused major worry among India's Quad allies.
So, what was the latest agreement that China tried to foist on Pacific island nations? Why did they refuse? And, what does Beijing's Pacific push means for India and its allies?
A draft of the proposed multilateral agreement obtained by The Associated Press said that China wanted to train police forces in the Pacific nations, collaborate with them on "traditional and non-traditional" security, jointly develop a marine plan for fisheries, have greater cooperation in running of internet networks in the region, and also explore the idea of a free trade area among the participating nations.
ALSO WATCH | <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/30-chinese-planes-enter-taiwan-s-air-defence-zone-biggest-incursion-since-january-1653983819891" target="_blank">30 Chinese planes enter Taiwan's air defence zone, biggest incursion since January</a>
However, several of the Pacific nations wanted to defer action or have it amended, as per news agency Reuters. The President of the Federated States of Micronesia is reported to have made the strongest pitch against signing China's agreement. He called the pact the "single, most game-changing proposed agreement in Pacific in our lifetimes" which "threatens to bring a new Cold War era at best, and a World War at worst".
In what appeared to be a not-so-veiled message, Fiji's Prime Minister tweeted that the Pacific needs genuine partners, not superpowers that are super-focused on power. It wasn't clear whether the message was aimed at China, or the West.
China did manage small victories, signing agreements with individual nations regarding police fingerprint labs, civil air transport, and bridge construction.
But the most worrisome agreement has been the one announced by Beijing and the Solomon Islands in April 2022. As per a leaked draft, the agreement allows Chinese warships to dock at the island nation, and send forces to the island to ensure law and order. Both the countries denied that it's a precursor to China setting up a military base at the island, but the West is not convinced.
What worries the West is that China would post military assets very close to Australia and New Zealand. Also, with its presence on Solomon Islands, Beijing could very easily block vital shipping lanes in the region, holding the world trade to ransom.
With the Pacific becoming a new flashpoint, India will assume a greater role in the region. India is becoming increasingly important to the West as it tries to limit China's sphere of influence. Leveraging its position, Delhi can push for greater defence technology sharing by developed nations, and also better trade pacts to counter Beijing's economic heft.
China's latest moves will also inspire Quad to take more concrete steps. The situation also ensures greater diplomatic support for India on the international stage, while raising the possibility that China might be more circumspect about aggressive moves at the border.

With the Russia-Ukraine war nearing the 100th-day grim milestone, Russia's second-richest man and his ultra-luxurious superyacht are in the news. The Pacific, a $150 million superyacht, is owned by Leonid Mikhelson, and it disappeared from the radar for almost two weeks, before reappearing on May 20, as per a Bloomberg report.
Mikhelson, who is founder and chairman of natural gas producer Novatek, is one of the many Russian billionaires sanctioned by USA and its allies after Moscow attacked Ukraine.
The Pacific superyacht had signalled that it was on its way to the Bahamas before it turned its transponder off, which was then turned on near the Canary Islands on May 20. Experts believe that the yacht may eventually sail to Maldives or Turkey, as these are seen as Russia's friendly nations, and the vessel may not be seized there under sanctions.
What sets the Pacific apart from many other superyachts is its metallic finish, which appears to change colour in sunlight. The Pacific has 6 cabins to host guests, and features a movie theatre, swimming pool, jacuzzi, and two massive helipads.
Russian billionaires are in a hurry to secure their luxury superyachts as their villas, luxury cars and bank accounts in Europe are seized as punishment for the war. Over a dozen yachts, worth over $2.25 billion have been confiscated so far, as per reports.

Russian billionaire Leonid Mikhelson's 'colour-changing' yacht Pacific resurfaces after 2 weeks off the radar amid sanctions hunt | Ukraine war

Russian billionaire's 'colour-changing' yacht resurfaces after 2 weeks off the radar amid sanctions hunt | Ukraine war

The Pacific, a $150 million superyacht, is owned by Leonid Mikhelson, who is facing sanctions over the Russia-Ukraine war.

With the Russia-Ukraine war nearing the 100th-day grim milestone, Russia's second-richest man and his ultra-luxurious superyacht are in the news. The Pacific, a $150 million superyacht, is owned by Leonid Mikhelson, and it disappeared from the radar for almost two weeks, before reappearing on May 20, as per a Bloomberg report.
Mikhelson, who is founder and chairman of natural gas producer Novatek, is one of the many Russian billionaires sanctioned by USA and its allies after Moscow attacked Ukraine.
The Pacific superyacht had signalled that it was on its way to the Bahamas before it turned its transponder off, which was then turned on near the Canary Islands on May 20. Experts believe that the yacht may eventually sail to Maldives or Turkey, as these are seen as Russia's friendly nations, and the vessel may not be seized there under sanctions.
What sets the Pacific apart from many other superyachts is its metallic finish, which appears to change colour in sunlight. The Pacific has 6 cabins to host guests, and features a movie theatre, swimming pool, jacuzzi, and two massive helipads.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/this-military-drone-with-ai-attacks-enemies-without-operator-s-command-in-high-demand-says-firm-kargu-1653753564830" target="_blank">This military drone with AI attacks enemies without operator's command; in high demand, says firm | KARGU</a>
Russian billionaires are in a hurry to secure their luxury superyachts as their villas, luxury cars and bank accounts in Europe are seized as punishment for the war. Over a dozen yachts, worth over $2.25 billion have been confiscated so far, as per reports.

Asia power play: India falls behind, China inches closer to top spot

India is the fourth most powerful nation in Asia, according to the Sydney-based Lowy Institute's Asia Power Index for 2020, which measured power using 128 indicators. The institute&rsquo;s study showed China closing in on the US as the most powerful country influencing the Asia-Pacific. While America retained its place as the region's top superpower, its 10-point lead on China two years ago has been halved. China, on the other hand stayed firmly in second place for the third year running, despite a drop in diplomatic clout it witnessed following accusations that it hid the severity of the Wuhan virus outbreak. India, which comes fourth after Japan, lost economic growth potential in the pandemic and is also ceding strategic ground to Beijing. Lowy projects India will reach 40% of China's economic output by 2030, compared with the 50% estimate last year.

Asia Power Index: India lags, China closes in on US
India 4th in the index, loses ground to Beijing
China stays put in the second spot, US leads
China's&nbsp;point difference with US halved
&nbsp;

India is the fourth most powerful nation in Asia, according to the Sydney-based Lowy Institute's Asia Power Index for 2020, which measured power using 128 indicators. The institute&rsquo;s study showed China closing in on the US as the most powerful country influencing the Asia-Pacific. While America retained its place as the region's top superpower, its 10-point lead on China two years ago has been halved. China, on the other hand stayed firmly in second place for the third year running, despite a drop in diplomatic clout it witnessed following accusations that it hid the severity of the Wuhan virus outbreak. India, which comes fourth after Japan, lost economic growth potential in the pandemic and is also ceding strategic ground to Beijing. Lowy projects India will reach 40% of China's economic output by 2030, compared with the 50% estimate last year.

CHINA’S SABER-RATTLING ON INDO-PACIFIC IS ALARMING

Economic relevance and geopolitical significance have drawn attention of the world towards Indian Ocean and the Pacific. US, Japan, India and Australia have increased their naval cooperation for securing the sea lanes of communication over these oceans. The term &lsquo;Indo-Pacific&rsquo; has rattled the Chinese security establishment and also the state funded think tanks and every discussion revolves around IPS, the acronym for India Pacific Strategy in China. Majority of think tanks in China are of the opinion that Indo Pacific strategy will adversely affect China&rsquo;s economic, military and strategic interests, particularly the BRI, and therefore Chinese countermeasures are compulsory. It is important to understand their views on this initiative of the US.

Taiwan asks countries to combat China's regional expansionism

Taiwan's president on Tuesday called for democratic countries to combat China's regional expansionism.
In her speech to an Asia-Pacific security forum in Taipei,&nbsp;Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan will be defending its "democracy from authoritarian aggression". Though she did not name China, it was evident who she was referring&nbsp;to as she spoke military movements in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait as well as "coercive diplomacy used against countries and corporations".
Stressing on the importance to ensure regional peace and security, she said 'it is time for like-minded countries to maintain a strategic order that deters unilateral aggressive actions'.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Taiwan's president on Tuesday called for democratic countries to combat China's regional expansionism.
In her speech to an Asia-Pacific security forum in Taipei,&nbsp;Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan will be defending its "democracy from authoritarian aggression". Though she did not name China, it was evident who she was referring&nbsp;to as she spoke military movements in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait as well as "coercive diplomacy used against countries and corporations".
Stressing on the importance to ensure regional peace and security, she said 'it is time for like-minded countries to maintain a strategic order that deters unilateral aggressive actions'.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

China planning big increase in nuclear arsenal: US

PTI,&nbsp;Washington: China likely plans to double its stockpile of nuclear warheads in this decade, including those designed to be carried atop ballistic missiles that can reach the United States, the Pentagon said in a report released Tuesday.
Even with such increases, China's nuclear force would be far smaller than that of the United States, which has an estimated 3,800 warheads in active status and others in reserve. Unlike the U.S., China has no nuclear air force, but the report said that gap may be filled by developing a nuclear air-launched ballistic missile.
The Trump administration has been urging China to join the U.S. and Russia in negotiating a three-way deal to limit strategic nuclear arms, but China has declined. Chinese Foreign Ministry officials have said China's arsenal is too small to be included in negotiated limits and that by pressing China to join in such talks the Trump administration has created a pretext for walking away from the existing U.S.-Russia arms treaty known as New START.
That deal is due to expire in February but could be renewed for up to five years if Moscow and Washington agree.
In its annual &ldquo;China Military Power&rdquo; report to Congress, the Pentagon said the modernisation and expansion of China's nuclear forces is part of a broader effort by Beijing to develop a more assertive position on the world stage and to match or surpass America by 2049 as the dominant power in the Asia-Pacific region.
&ldquo;China's nuclear forces will significantly evolve over the next decade as it modernizes, diversifies, and increases the number of its land-, sea-, and air-based nuclear delivery platforms,&rdquo; the report said.
&ldquo;Over the next decade, China's nuclear warhead stockpile &mdash; currently estimated to be in the low 200s &mdash; is projected to at least double in size as China expands and modernises its nuclear forces.&rdquo; Within that force, the number of nuclear warheads on land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of threatening the United States &mdash; currently about 100, according to the report &mdash; &ldquo;is expected to grow to roughly 200 in the next five years,&rdquo; it said.
Tuesday's report to Congress is not the first time the Pentagon has predicted a doubling of China's nuclear stockpile. In a speech at the Hudson Institute in May 2019, the then-director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, said, &ldquo;Over the next decade, China will likely at least double the size of its nuclear stockpile in the course of implementing the most rapid expansion and diversification of its nuclear arsenal in China's history.&rdquo; Those predictions fit neatly with arguments the Trump administration makes to justify spending hundreds of billions of dollars to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper himself made this connection three days before the Pentagon's China report was released.
&ldquo;As Communist China moves to at least double the size of its nuclear stockpile, modernizing our nuclear force and maintaining readiness is essential to a free and open Indo-Pacific,&rdquo; he wrote on Twitter.
The Trump administration is pursuing a plan, begun during the Obama administration, to replace all major elements of the nuclear force &mdash; submarines, long-range bombers and land-based missiles &mdash; over the next 30 years at a cost projected to top USD 1 trillion, including the expected cost of sustaining and operating the force and of updating warheads as well as command and control systems. It's unclear whether the full plan would be pursued in the event Democrat Joe Biden wins in November.
Chad Sbragia, the deputy secretary of defense for China policy, said in an interview Monday with a small group of reporters that China's nuclear expansion plan may foreshadow even more ambitious plans.
&ldquo;An ability to double the stockpile not only demonstrates a move away from their historical minimum deterrence posture but places them in a position where they can readily grow their force beyond this number,&rdquo; Sbragia said.
The Pentagon report also raised the possibility that China may adopt a higher level of nuclear combat readiness. Currently, it keeps its nuclear warheads stored separately from its missiles and launchers and thus would need advance warning to get them ready for war.
The report said unspecified evidence emerged in 2019 indicating that China wants to keep at least a portion of its force on a higher state of alert known as &ldquo;launch on warning,&rdquo; meaning for example that its silo-based ICBMs would be armed in peacetime and ready for launch on short notice, which is the way the U.S. ICBM force operates.&nbsp;

The Pentagon said in a report released on&nbsp;Tuesday that China likely plans to double its stockpile of nuclear warheads in this decade, including those designed to be carried atop ballistic missiles that can reach the United States.&nbsp;Even with such increases, China's nuclear force would be far smaller than that of the United States, which has an estimated 3,800 warheads in active status and others in reserve. Unlike the U.S., China has no nuclear air force, but the report said that gap may be filled by developing a nuclear air-launched ballistic missile.

PTI,&nbsp;Washington: China likely plans to double its stockpile of nuclear warheads in this decade, including those designed to be carried atop ballistic missiles that can reach the United States, the Pentagon said in a report released Tuesday.
Even with such increases, China's nuclear force would be far smaller than that of the United States, which has an estimated 3,800 warheads in active status and others in reserve. Unlike the U.S., China has no nuclear air force, but the report said that gap may be filled by developing a nuclear air-launched ballistic missile.
The Trump administration has been urging China to join the U.S. and Russia in negotiating a three-way deal to limit strategic nuclear arms, but China has declined. Chinese Foreign Ministry officials have said China's arsenal is too small to be included in negotiated limits and that by pressing China to join in such talks the Trump administration has created a pretext for walking away from the existing U.S.-Russia arms treaty known as New START.
That deal is due to expire in February but could be renewed for up to five years if Moscow and Washington agree.
In its annual &ldquo;China Military Power&rdquo; report to Congress, the Pentagon said the modernisation and expansion of China's nuclear forces is part of a broader effort by Beijing to develop a more assertive position on the world stage and to match or surpass America by 2049 as the dominant power in the Asia-Pacific region.
&ldquo;China's nuclear forces will significantly evolve over the next decade as it modernizes, diversifies, and increases the number of its land-, sea-, and air-based nuclear delivery platforms,&rdquo; the report said.
&ldquo;Over the next decade, China's nuclear warhead stockpile &mdash; currently estimated to be in the low 200s &mdash; is projected to at least double in size as China expands and modernises its nuclear forces.&rdquo; Within that force, the number of nuclear warheads on land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of threatening the United States &mdash; currently about 100, according to the report &mdash; &ldquo;is expected to grow to roughly 200 in the next five years,&rdquo; it said.
Tuesday's report to Congress is not the first time the Pentagon has predicted a doubling of China's nuclear stockpile. In a speech at the Hudson Institute in May 2019, the then-director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, said, &ldquo;Over the next decade, China will likely at least double the size of its nuclear stockpile in the course of implementing the most rapid expansion and diversification of its nuclear arsenal in China's history.&rdquo; Those predictions fit neatly with arguments the Trump administration makes to justify spending hundreds of billions of dollars to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper himself made this connection three days before the Pentagon's China report was released.
&ldquo;As Communist China moves to at least double the size of its nuclear stockpile, modernizing our nuclear force and maintaining readiness is essential to a free and open Indo-Pacific,&rdquo; he wrote on Twitter.
The Trump administration is pursuing a plan, begun during the Obama administration, to replace all major elements of the nuclear force &mdash; submarines, long-range bombers and land-based missiles &mdash; over the next 30 years at a cost projected to top USD 1 trillion, including the expected cost of sustaining and operating the force and of updating warheads as well as command and control systems. It's unclear whether the full plan would be pursued in the event Democrat Joe Biden wins in November.
Chad Sbragia, the deputy secretary of defense for China policy, said in an interview Monday with a small group of reporters that China's nuclear expansion plan may foreshadow even more ambitious plans.
&ldquo;An ability to double the stockpile not only demonstrates a move away from their historical minimum deterrence posture but places them in a position where they can readily grow their force beyond this number,&rdquo; Sbragia said.
The Pentagon report also raised the possibility that China may adopt a higher level of nuclear combat readiness. Currently, it keeps its nuclear warheads stored separately from its missiles and launchers and thus would need advance warning to get them ready for war.
The report said unspecified evidence emerged in 2019 indicating that China wants to keep at least a portion of its force on a higher state of alert known as &ldquo;launch on warning,&rdquo; meaning for example that its silo-based ICBMs would be armed in peacetime and ready for launch on short notice, which is the way the U.S. ICBM force operates.&nbsp;

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