World · 16 February 2026
China’s nuclear infrastructure grows as global arms controls fade
Photo by Zifeng Xiong on Pexels
Satellite imagery analysed by experts shows China has intensified construction and modernisation at concealed nuclear sites in remote Sichuan valleys, including bunkers and facilities likely linked to warhead components and plutonium cores. This expansion accelerates Beijing’s nuclear capabilities just as the last major arms-control treaty expired, raising concerns among Western analysts about a shifting strategic balance and the erosion of global nuclear limits. China has rejected allegations of secret testing or treaty violations.
Reported by The New York Times · How we write briefs