The state-controlled Xinhua news agency cites a statement Xi made when he visited a brigade of the People’s Liberation Army’s rocket force on Thursday.
Strategic weapons are used to weaken an enemy’s ability to wage war and consist, among other things, of long-range missiles that can be equipped with nuclear weapons.
There are also tactical nuclear weapons that have been developed to carry out smaller and more precise attacks, but which can still be very destructive.
In recent years, China has carried out a major nuclear armament, especially when it comes to strategic weapons used for deterrence. The country has also modernized its nuclear weapons in response to the fact that the US has developed better missile defense and surveillance, as well as strengthened its alliances in Asia.
In September, China conducted a rare test of a long-range ballistic missile, which landed in the Pacific Ocean.
The Chinese military has also undergone a major purge in the past year, where several generals have been dismissed as a result of corruption allegations, including the chief of the missile forces.
In June, Xi said there are major political, ideological and disciplinary problems in the Chinese military.
Only the United States has used nuclear weapons in war, which happened when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the eve of World War II.
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