Biden is said to approve nuclear weapons strategy for Chinese threat

President Biden in March approved a classified plan that ordered the U.S. military to prepare for possible coordinated nuclear attacks from Russia, China and North Korea, the New York Times reported Tuesday, citing statements by senior administration officials.

The revised strategy reflects the Pentagon’s estimates that China’s nuclear force will expand to 1,000 by 2030 and 1,500 by 2035, which is almost equal to what the United States and Russia now deploy. China likely is ahead of that schedule and started loading nuclear missiles into new silo fields seen by commercial satellites three years ago, the Times reported.

North Korea is estimated to have more than 60 nuclear weapons and material for many more. Its growing arsenal is quickly approaching the size of Pakistan’s and Israel’s, and is big enough to possibly participate in coordinated attacks from Russia and China, the Times reported.

The White House didn’t announce that the president had approved the revised strategy, called the “Nuclear Employment Guidance.” Two senior administration officials were permitted to refer to the change in strategy before an unclassified notification is sent to Congress as Biden leaves office, the Times reported.