Extraordinary underground construction continues to take place in the desert in western China.
In the arid region of Xinjiang province, more than 2,000 kilometers from Beijing, US scientists have discovered what they believe is one of the most important efforts for the Asian country to increase its nuclear capabilities.
Satellite images captured by researchers at the James Martin Center in Monterey, California, show what they believe to be a place that can store around 110 large missiles.
The discovery of the construction, near the town of Hami, several kilometers from the Uighur Muslim camps, continues less than a month after another construction was seen via satellite imagery near the city of Yumen.
The United States Association of Scientists (FAS) estimates that the country could store 120 nuclear missiles.
"These findings are significant given that, because of China's long-standing secrecy over its nuclear weapons, and these are the estimates we have for what is happening there," Howard Zhang, editor-in-chief of the service, told BBC.
"China's policy on nuclear weapons is a non-disclosure of its information on weapons, so what we are aware of is that this report has been prepared by experts and scientists from other parts of the world, especially from the United States," he added.
Fear
The construction of the infrastructure has raised fears and curiosity, especially from analysts, in what appears to be a change or a new direction of China's nuclear policy.
"The construction of the tower in Yumen and Hami is part of China's massive nuclear expansion," part of the FAS study says.
And according to Zhang, since its first atomic bomb experiment in the 1960s, Beijing has continued to store small nuclear weapons, to a lesser extent than other atomic forces, but it is enough to recognize its existence.
But experts fear that the Chinese leadership, which now pursues strict international policies, also wants to make the country one of the most powerful countries when it comes to nuclear.
The Yumen and Hamis towers - are the infrastructure of their kind since the end of the Cold War, according to FAS - showing signs of change.
Growing in his strength
According to the FAS, the new construction is 380 kilometers away from another construction site discovered last month, which is in the early stages of construction.
Like the previously proposed infrastructure, it is located in a desert area of 800 square meters.
Each tower is located 3 km from the other and the others are hidden under a large cover, following the order of the other atomic furnaces present in various parts of China.
The United States has been moved by China's move and through its Defense Department has expressed concern about it.
"This is the second time in two months that the public has been aware of what has been said for a long time about the growing threats in the world and the secrecy surrounding the plans," he writes.
For years, Beijing has been running more than 20 mills to store what they call the DF-5s.
However, according to the current assessment of satellite imagery, it appears that it will build 10 times more.
Increase its capabilities
According to Zhang, for decades now nuclear has not been one of China's top priorities.
"Nuclear ownership is very costly and I need high-tech infrastructure and technology," he said.
"For countries like Russia and the United States it has been easier for them to own nuclear weapons because of their capabilities and has had nuclear power plants for a long time, but unlike China, it has begun to enter the industry in recent decades," he said.
According to the Stockholm International Research Center, the United States has about 5,550 nuclear bombs that could be fired by a rocket while Russia has 6,255.
The United States estimates that last year China had 200 bombs, while the Stockholm research center estimated at 350. However, the number has risen from 145 estimates by the center in 2006.
As early as 2021, one of the top US military leaders, Charles Richard, stated that "China's nuclear weapons are expected to double if not three or four times in the next decade."
China has notably boosted its nuclear weapons capabilities in recent years with the development of mobile road missile launchers or the recent nuclear-capable H-6N bomber launched from submarines.
What is behind the scenes
According to Zhang, one of the biggest unanswered questions now about the construction of the nuclear infrastructure is what exactly is China's goal and why now?
"For the Chinese-speaking area, at the moment the biggest debate is whether China is sending a message that it is increasing its reserves and sending a message to the United States that for many years it has been taking China's nuclear capabilities seriously," he says.
According to some reports, China is in the process of developing another weapon that is not yet known.
Outside the negotiations
The discovery of nuclear weapons in China comes as the two largest nuclear-armed states, the United States and Russia, are preparing to hold talks on how to control their weapons.
The US-led meeting between Wendy Sherman and Russia, represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, seems to be the first step in sparking the now-stalled talks on nuclear disarmament.
China, however, has been on strike for years now to sit down and talk about its nuclear weapons.
