A top adversary of the United States, China's buildup of its nuclear arsenal raised concerns among U.S. officials. U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Thomas Bussiere, who oversees America's arsenal, warned that China's rapid development was no longer aligned with public comments that Beijing's goal was a minimum nuclear deterrent and said in a few years, the nuclear threat presented by China could exceed that of Russia's.
Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times, accused Bussiere of seeking to "sow discord" between Russia and China by implying Russia should be concerned about China's nuclear capabilities. Xijin also denied China was rapidly building up its arsenal to the point that it could overtake Russia's, writing in the op-ed that it's "incredible" to consider the country capable of doing that in the "foreseeable future."
