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Hong Kong (CNN)- China is building a second field of missile silos in its western deserts, according to a new study, which researchers say signals a potential expansion of its nuclear arsenal and calls into question Beijing’s commitment to its “minimum deterrence” strategy.
Identified via satellite imagery, the new missile base in China’s Xinjiang region may eventually include 110 silos, said the report released Monday by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).
It is the second apparent silo field uncovered this month by researchers, adding to 120 silos that appear to be under construction in the neighboring province of Gansu, as detailed by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.
Together, the two sites signify “the most significant expansion of the Chinese nuclear arsenal ever,” the FAS report said.