Does China Have A 'First Use' Nuclear Policy?

Trucks carry intercontinental ballistic missiles. Photo: 81.cn

Peter Pry, The Hill: China's 'no first use' nuclear fiction

Many China experts in government and academia, and anti-nuclear activists such as the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Federation of American Scientists, appear not to be worried by China’s rapidly growing nuclear capabilities, because Beijing’s official policy promises that China will not be the first to employ nuclear weapons in a conflict. Beijing promises that its nuclear forces are for deterrence and retaliation only, not for aggression.

Western analysts consistently fail to understand that, for both Beijing and Moscow, nuclear war plans are national security “crown jewels” that they try to protect and conceal behind a bodyguard of lies and disinformation. Trusting open sources and commentary — especially when they are intended to cast nuclear doctrine in the most benign possible way — is a big mistake.

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WNU Editor: Kudos to the above author on posting a few examples where Chinese military leaders have revealed that China does have a "first use" policy.