That impression has begun to change in recent years as China has made concerted efforts to expand its nuclear arsenal and has stepped up its aggressive stance against the United States and its regional allies.
The Pentagon’s latest Nuclear Posture Review was presented to Congress in March and has not yet been made public, but Cotton appeared to predict some of the key findings in Thursday’s testimony.
“We’ve seen the incredible spread of what they’re doing with their nuclear forces – which in my opinion doesn’t reflect minimal deterrence. , has a bona fide triad,” explained Cotton. This means that the Chinese military has nuclear-capable forces operating on land, in the air, and at sea.
He added that the nuclear threat posed by China cannot be adequately addressed by replicating the approach taken by the United States toward Russia. The general said that Beijing and Moscow were “acting differently from a doctrinal point of view.”
After years of competing to build up their nuclear arsenals, the United States and the former Soviet Union signed several arms reduction agreements in the late 20th century. Of these treaties, only one remains in force, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which applies to intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and nuclear-capable bombers.
Historically, the Chinese government did not possess the arsenals of the two major Cold War-era superpowers, and its nuclear ambitions were not viewed as strongly in Washington as it was in Moscow. China has also not been a party to the arms control regime that defined the nuclear relationship between the United States and Russia. The facts claimed by politicians and advocates must be corrected in the future.
Chairman Senator Jack Reed (DR.I.) told Cotton: “You are responsible for continuing to enable the United States and its allies to deter not one but two nearly equivalent nuclear adversaries that their predecessors did not face.”
Cotton did not detail plans to update the military’s approach to China, but admitted that more work needs to be done to correct the imbalance.
“We understand Russian nuclear theory and doctrine,” said Cotton, citing President Vladimir Putin’s decision to put nuclear forces on high alert after invading Ukraine. So far, there have been no direct attacks against NATO.
“We will have to have a deeper understanding of China’s nuclear strategy,” he added.
But Cotton was adamant in evaluating it. “After all, Russia and China both understand that they have powerful and resilient nuclear forces that provide deterrence to themselves and extended deterrence to their adversaries.”
But the United States must take seriously Regarding the threat, especially the possibility, of the use of nuclear weapons by Moscow or Beijing, the general said Conflict over Taiwan.
“A credible deterrent will make them think twice before engaging with us,” said Cotton.
Several senators told Cotton not only what they would do to expand and renew the military’s nuclear weapons portfolio, but how they would act to ensure that U.S. proliferation got out of hand. I challenged him to say something.
Senator Mazzy Hirono (D-Hawaii) asked Cotton if he agreed with the Biden administration’s recommendation to halt the development of sea-launched low-yield nuclear weapons. cruise missile Regarding program cost and efficiency concerns.
or Administration officials said they were informed by the latest nuclear posture review. Some fear that canceling the program will adversely affect the U.S. military’s ability to compete with enemy nuclear capabilities.
Earlier this year, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark A. Milley openly joined those who criticized Biden’s decision. When asked for an opinion on Thursday, Mr. Cotton objected, saying he would like the opportunity to conduct a full review of the program after the scheduled confirmation.
But when Hirono asked Cotton if he believed The United States has a role to play in limiting the nuclear arms race, he replied.
“Any treaty we can do to prevent proliferation is a good one, but the caveat is that it incorporates all aspects of what the signing agreement will be. Unmade weapons must be added to the calculation,” he said, before concluding:
