When three villagers from China’s Sichuan Province wrote to local officials in 2022 questioning why the government was confiscating their land and evicting them from their homes, they received a brief response: "It is a state secret."
An investigation by CNN revealed that this secret centers on China's plans to significantly expand its nuclear capabilities. More than three years after the citizen evacuations, satellite imagery shows their village has been leveled, replaced by new buildings designed to support some of China’s most critical nuclear weapons production facilities.
CNN reported that the expansion of these sites in Sichuan, observed through satellite imagery and a review of dozens of Chinese government documents, confirms recent allegations by President Donald Trump’s administration that Beijing is conducting its largest nuclear modernization campaign in decades.
President Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing on a historic trip next month, where he is expected to seek a dialogue on an agreement to curb Chinese President Xi Jinping’s nuclear ambitions.
Most Significant New Facilities in Sichuan Province
Among the most prominent of these facilities is a massive, fortified dome built on the banks of the Tongjiang River in less than five years. It appears to still be undergoing outfitting, suggesting it may not yet be operational.
The reinforced dome covers an area of 3,344 square meters (equivalent to 13 tennis courts). It is encased in a concrete and steel structure equipped with radiation monitoring devices and blast-proof doors, with a network of pipes extending from the facility to a building featuring a high ventilation chimney.
According to several experts, these features, along with advanced air-handling equipment, are designed to contain highly radioactive materials, such as uranium and plutonium, within the dome, indicating an expansion of the Chinese nuclear program's production capacity. The facility is also surrounded by three layers of security fencing.
No Sign of Retreat
This development comes at a time of rising international tensions, particularly following the expiration of the latest nuclear arms limitation treaty between the United States and Russia (known as "New START") earlier this year. Trump is seeking to broker a new and improved agreement with Moscow that would also include China.
However, the radical changes witnessed in Sichuan indicate that the Chinese military's nuclear weapons development shows no sign of slowing down, according to the CNN report.
In contrast, China denies the accusations; military spokesperson Jiang Bin emphasized that his country "follows a defensive strategy and is committed to no-first-use of nuclear weapons."
However, experts believe the significant changes on the ground reflect a fundamental shift in the nuclear program. Analyst Decker Eveleth said that this extensive modernization suggests a fundamental restructuring of the technology underpinning the entire system.
Renny Babiarz, Vice President of Analysis and Operations at AllSource Analysis, who reviewed the satellite imagery for CNN, also pointed to the potential development of "new processes and different types of equipment" within these facilities. He said it was clear that there are many changes happening on the ground."
This expansion coincides with directives issued by the Chinese President to accelerate the building of strategic deterrence capabilities amid escalating regional tensions, particularly regarding Taiwan.
Observers believe these moves could lead to a new nuclear arms race more complex than the Cold War era, with China emerging as a major third party. There are also concerns that the United States might overestimate China's capabilities, thereby exacerbating nuclear proliferation.
Jeffrey Lewis, a distinguished scholar in global security at the Middlebury Institute, said some in the US will argue that we need to radically expand our nuclear weapons production capacity to match China..."but we won't be matching what they are doing; we will be matching what we think they are doing. We will be matching our own nightmare. And that is extremely dangerous."
Impact of the Iran War on China’s Nuclear Program
Experts say that the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran may have strengthened China's resolve to expand its nuclear program.
"If you were Chinese and looked at what is happening, you wouldn't see that disarmament or weakening yourself makes any sense," Lewis said. He added: "One outcome of what the Trump administration is doing in Iran will not be to intimidate or subdue China, but rather to push it to build more nuclear weapons."
Lewis noted that, given these factors, the chances of reaching arms control agreements appear limited, pointing out that China may engage in "formal" dialogues to de-escalate tensions without offering substantial concessions.
