(CNN) The biggest power in the world may have promised to work towards a world without nuclear weapons, but global stock is expected to increase over the coming decade, according to a new report.
There is a clear indication that the reduction that has characterized the global nuclear weapons since the end of the Cold War has ended,” said Institute of International Peace Research Stockholm (SIPRI) in a Monday report.
This report emerged amid the increasing concerns of Western concerns over efforts by China and North Korea to expand their nuclear abilities. The US suspects North Korea is preparing to conduct a seventh nuclear test immediately, while Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe told the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit on weekends that his country had made “impressive progress” in developing new nuclear weapons.
However, while Sipri reports that China “is in the middle of the substantial expansion of its nuclear weapons,” it explained that China and North Korea were not the only culprit.
All nuclear armed countries increase or improve their arsenal and most of the nuclear rhetoric and the role played by nuclear weapons in their military strategy is a very worrying trend,” he said.
In the estimated Sipri, the United States and Russia so far remains the largest nuclear force in the world, with 3,708 and 4,477 nuclear respectively, while China has 350, France 290 and Britain 180. But China’s upstream calculation has increased in recent years, up rising Of the 145 upstreams of explosive explosions in 2006 according to the Institute. Pentagon predicts China’s inventory to “at least twice the following decade.
While US and Russian inventory declined in 2021, SIPRI believes that long -term trends that are “worrying” will see the two countries improve their stock and develop stronger weapons.
The confidentiality of North Korea means it is difficult to measure its nuclear ability. Some estimates of placing inventory at this time around 20 nuclear warheads, although the US and other countries believe that it works to increase this number and its ability to send it.
Pyongyang has recorded the record number of ballistic missile launch this year and on Saturday appointed Top Choe Son Hui’s nuclear negotiator as the first female foreign minister.
“North Korea continues to prioritize its military nuclear program as a central element of its national security strategy,” Sipri said, adding that “the country’s fisil material inventory is believed to have grown in 2021.”
Think tank, which includes numbers for the country in its annual report for the first time this year, said it believes that North Korea now has enough fisil material to produce up to 55 upstreams.
But his ability to send weapons -this weapon is still unknown. In May, North Korea tested what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile – despite its reach of weapons or its ability to give an unclear nuclear warhead.
“There is no evidence available to the public that North Korea has produced operational nuclear warheads for delivery by intercontinental ballistic missiles, but may have a small amount of warheads for medium -range ballistic missiles,” Sipri said.
Sipri also said India and Pakistan tried to expand their nuclear weapons. Israel said – who did not openly admit to having nuclear weapons – was trying to modernize its weapons. Stockpile estimates for India and Pakistan are standing in 160 and 165, and for Israel, 90.
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi attended the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore on June 11, 2022.
Recently in January, the five largest nuclear powers in the world – also known as P5, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council – promised to work together towards “the world without nuclear weapons” in a rare statement of unity.
However, the next Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused concern that nuclear weapons can be used outside the test situation for the first time since the US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Since the beginning of the Russian War has repeatedly reminded the world of its nuclear power in a slanted reference that seems to be intended to prevent Western countries from greater intervention. CIA Director William Burns also warned Russia to use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Now many countries – even those who do not have nuclear arms – rethink their calculations. Japan, US and South Korea New -Newly vowed to strengthen nuclear prevention strategies with them.
In the Shangri-La dialogue, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi made an extraordinary strong comment directed at North Korea and China.
“The world becomes more uncertain,” Kishi told the Asian Premier Defense Summit. “Japan is surrounded by actors who have, or are developing, nuclear weapons, and that openly ignores the rules.”
He criticized the North Korean neighbor’s missile test and called China “The State of Attention”, quoting a new military operation that has been held by Russia in the waters close to Japan and Taiwan – the first since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine (today) may be East Asia tomorrow,” he said.
Speaking at the same summit, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup said his country would “dramatically strengthen his defense ability amid increasing concerns over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.
Various experts have shown that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown nuclear prevention power. Ukraine is one of the few countries that volunteered to surrender nuclear weapons. He did it after the fall of the Soviet Union, sending many of his weapons to Russia – the same country as now being attacked by.
“Countries that feel under the threat may see Ukraine and figures that get rid of their nuclear weapons are not a way that must be done and that might reduce incentives for them to move towards nuclear -free agreements that will be uphill tasks,” said Regional Security expert Ian Chong, also a professor of political science at Singapore National University.
Chong said that there was a “high level of concern about nuclear weapons” in Shangri-La. “We see tensions that really reflect concerns in Northeast Asia [at present] in the event of a nuclear attack.”
Eyes on Beijing
The SIPRI report is also likely to refocus attention on Chinese nuclear ambitions, following last year’s report that Beijing is building a widespread network of intercontinental ballistic missiles in its Western Desert.
“Some additional nuclear warheads are considered to have been assigned to operational forces in 2021 after sending new cellular launchers and submarines,” Sipri wrote.
In the Shangri-La dialogue, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe defended the nuclear attitude of his country.
“China always pursues the right path to develop nuclear abilities to protect our country,” he said in responding to questions about the new nuclear missile silo. Wei said that nuclear weapons will be used “in self defense” and to prevent nuclear war.
We develop nuclear abilities to protect the hard work of the Chinese people and protect our people from the scourge of nuclear war, “he said.
Wei’s comments came after a comment from US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who said at the same conference that China was involved in coercion, aggressive, and dangerous actions that threatened to “damage security, stability, and prosperity in indo-Pacific.”