Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), suggested that the United States respond to reports that China surpassed the U.S. in nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile launchers with strong policies against the Chinese Communist Party to keep their threats at bay.
“This report should be alarming to every American and proves exactly why it is so important for the United States to respond with tough, strategic policies to push back against the CCP. I will work tirelessly on the House Select Committee on the CCP to understand and expose the pattern of aggression we are seeing from them and defend the frontiers of the free world from their threats,” Newhouse said in a statement to State Newswire.
A Congressional memo from the U.S. Strategic Command release in January stated as of October 2022, China had more land-based fixed missiles and mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) launchers than the number of ICBM launchers in the United States.
As China passed the U.S. in ICBM launchers, Congress is debating how to combat both Russia and China’s growing nuclear arsenal, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). This news came as the U.S. was forced to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon that traversed across the continental United States. China’s ICBM launchers still contain many empty silos and the U.S. has a significant advantage in number of submarine missiles and long-range bombers, the WSJ reported.
“China is rapidly approaching parity with the United States,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chair of the Armed Services Committee, told the WSJ. “We cannot allow that to happen. The time for us to adjust our force posture and increase capabilities to meet this threat is now.”
The U.S. is modernizing its nuclear forces and Congress will have the option to add more warheads to missiles and bombers depending on where China has gained ground, according to the WSJ article.
Patty-Jane Geller, senior policy analyst for the Center for National Defense at the Heritage Foundation, said the U.S. nuclear force is not developing and modernizing fast enough to outpace China. The U.S. has 450 missile silos in the Midwest, now fewer than China. The Pentagon confirmed that the launchers do not all have long-range missiles fitted to them, but Geller says this would be the “next logical step.” Former commander of U.S. Strategic Command, Adm. Charles Richard, said in his assessment of the level of deterrence against China, “the ship is slowly sinking.”
Geller said that the recent spy balloon over US territory adds to the sentiment that the U.S. is “woefully unprepared.” The American nuclear force structure was designed to deter Russia, and Geller said times have significantly changed since it was developed 10 years ago, the Heritage Foundation reported. Geller suggest the U.S. add to the nuclear arsenal and improve the current defense systems.
A letter from Republican leaders of Congress’ Armed Services Committee declared this a “wake-up call,” CNN reported. China’s military developments are alarming many in Congress, according to the letter.
