China Secretly Expanding Nuclear Sites? New Facilities Detected At Zitong And Pingtong, Says Report

Last Updated:February 16, 2026, 09:56 IST

According to the Pentagon’s latest estimate, China had more than 600 nuclear warheads by the end of 2024. The number could reach 1,000 by 2030.

China, India’s neighbour and a rising global power, is secretly expanding its nuclear weapons infrastructure, according to satellite images that have reportedly detected new warhead-related facilities in the mountains of Sichuan in southwest China.

The images show expansion and upgrades at secretive nuclear-related sites near Zitong and Pingtong. Analysts say the changes are part of a wider effort to modernise China’s nuclear arsenal at a time of growing rivalry between major powers.

China’s growing nuclear arsenal

According to the Pentagon’s latest estimate, reported by The New York Times, China had more than 600 nuclear warheads by the end of 2024. The number could reach 1,000 by 2030.

Although this is still far below the stockpiles of the United States and Russia, experts say the pace of growth is concerning.

Matthew Sharp, a former US State Department official now at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said the lack of dialogue makes the situation dangerous.

“Without a real dialogue on these topics, which we lack, it’s really hard to say where it’s going," he said. “Now we’re forced to react and plan around the worst-case interpretation of a concerning trend line."

Military activity At Zitong and Pingtong

One valley near Zitong shows engineers building new bunkers and ramparts. A newly built complex there is connected with pipes, suggesting it handles hazardous materials.

Another valley contains a heavily secured site known as Pingtong. Specialists believe plutonium cores for nuclear warheads are produced there.

The main structure at Pingtong has a 360-foot ventilation stack. It has been refurbished with new vents and heat dispersers, and more construction is under way nearby. Large characters displaying President Xi Jinping’s slogan, “Stay true to the founding cause and always remember our mission", are visible above the entrance.

What experts said?

Experts, as quoted by NYT, said Pingtong’s layout resembles plutonium pit production plants in other countries, including the Los Alamos Laboratory in the United States.

At Zitong, the new bunkers and fortified areas are believed to be used for testing high explosives that compress nuclear material to trigger a chain reaction.

Hui Zhang, a physicist at Harvard University, said such tests are needed to perfect the process. He added that it is unclear how many warheads have been produced and that some upgrades could relate to safety improvements or preparations for new systems such as submarine-launched missiles.

Renny Babiarz, a geospatial intelligence expert who analysed the images, said the changes fit China’s broader goal of becoming a global superpower. He said developments at the sites have accelerated since 2019.

US officials are concerned that a larger and more advanced arsenal could affect China’s actions in a future crisis, especially over Taiwan.

Michael S Chase, a former Pentagon official now at RAND, said China wants to ensure it is largely immune from nuclear pressure by the United States, particularly in a possible conventional conflict over Taiwan.

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