State Department: Chinese nuclear buildup ‘concerning’

State Department spokesperson Ned Price raised concern Thursday about China’s nuclear buildup during a news briefing.

The concern was raised after a reporter asked about a Washington Post report that stated China was making more than 100 new missile silos.

“I think what is fair to say is that these reports and other developments suggest that the PRC’s nuclear arsenal will grow more quickly, and to a higher level than perhaps previously anticipated. This buildup – it is concerning,” Price said, using an acronym for the People’s Republic of China.

“It raises questions about the PRC’s intent,” he added.

Price said the U.S. and China should work together in order to decrease “the risks of destabilizing arms races” as the adversary is “deviating from decades of nuclear strategy based around minimum deterrents.”

Tensions between China and the U.S. have risen for a variety of reasons, including disagreements over human rights and Taiwan.

China had previously warned other countries to “stop slandering China, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and stop harming China’s interests.”