By Li Jiabao
李嘉宝
According to foreign media reports, the US new-generation strategic bomber B-21 Raider recently made a high-profile appearance. B-21 Raider is a long-range stealth strategic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons and serves as the first achievement of the US$ 1.2 trillion nuclear arms expansion plan. As one of the measures taken by the US to expand its nuclear arsenal and hype up the competition among major powers, this move is bound to bring great risks to global security and strategic stability.
据外媒报道，近日，美国新一代战略轰炸机B—21高调亮相，这是一种能够携带核武器的远程隐形战略轰炸机，是美国1.2万亿美元核军备扩充计划的第一个成果。作为美国扩充自身核武库、炒作大国竞争的种种行径之一，此举又将给全球安全和战略稳定带来极大风险。
America's frequent moves to "expand nuclear arms"
美国“核动作”频频
In recent months, the US government has released a series of documents including the National Security Strategy (NSS), and the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), which makes clear the Biden administration's nuclear strategy.
近几个月，美国政府先后发布《国家安全战略》《2022核态势评估报告》等文件，拜登政府的核战略日益清晰。
At the same time, the US has taken multiple measures and moves to keep upgrading its nuclear arsenal. It has accelerated the deployment of new tactical nuclear weapons B61-12 to several NATO bases in Europe and upgraded its nuclear arsenals in Europe. The US has also planned to establish a small-scale multilateral nuclear consultation mechanism with Japan, the ROK and Australia in the Indo-Pacific region to share nuclear intelligence and even considered copy the European model to deploy strategic bombers, dual-capable aircraft and related nuclear weapons to the frontline in the Indo-Pacific region.
同时，美国“核动作”频频，核武库不断升级，并加速向欧洲多个北约基地部署B61—12新型战术核弹，升级在欧洲的核武库。美国还计划在“印太地区”与日本、韩国、澳大利亚建立小多边核磋商机制共享核情报，并考虑仿照欧洲模式，将战略轰炸机、“双重能力战斗机”和相关核武器进行前沿部署。
In this regard, Guo Xiaobing, Director of the Center for Arms Control Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, pointed out that from the multiple documents issued and moves taken by the Biden administration, the US has currently planned to implement integrated deterrence, maintain a low threshold for the application of weapons, promote the upgrading of nuclear arsenals, emphasize the construction and development of nuclear weapons infrastructure, highlight its so-called "limited nuclear war" to develop and deploy low yield nuclear warheads while strengthening extended deterrence, and reinforce the “Indo-Pacific” nuclear sharing mechanism and the forward deployment of strategic forces.
对此，中国现代国际关系研究院军控研究中心主任郭晓兵指出，从拜登政府发布的一系列文件及行动看，美国当前计划实施一体化威慑，维持较低的武器使用门槛，推进核武库更新，强调核武器基础设施建设和发展，强调所谓“有限核战争”概念，发展和部署低当量核弹头，同时强化延伸威慑，加强“印太”核共享机制和战略力量前沿部署等。
Hyping up major power competition
渲染大国竞争
The US Department of Defense recently released its 2022 Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China, also known as China Military Power Repor t, which has made wild guesses and comments on China's military modernization, claiming that "China currently has more than 400 nuclear warheads, which will increase to 1,000 in 2030, and 1,500 in 2035".
美国国防部日前发布2022年度《中国军事与安全发展报告》，对中国军事现代化建设妄加臆测和评价，声称“中国目前拥有超过400枚核弹，2030年将拥有1000枚，2035年将拥有约1500枚核弹”。
"The data released in this report by the US are very unserious. It is not a calculation based on proven data or any inference method, but purely a deliberate fabrication to hype up the so-called 'China's nuclear threat'." Guo Xiaobing pointed out that, the move taken by the US is aimed at covering up its disgraceful actions in the area of nuclear arms control and non-proliferation, and trying to make black white and putting pressure on China to limit its normal military power development.
“美国发布的这份报告相关数据十分随意，没有给出任何论据或推断方法，纯粹是刻意捏造所谓‘中国核威胁’。”郭晓兵指出，美国此举一是为自身在核军控和防扩散领域的不光彩行径做掩护，二是试图混淆外界视听，对中国施压，以此限制中国正常军力发展。
Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of China Foreign Affairs University, also pointed out that the US has the most advanced nuclear arsenals in the world, yet it still continues to create excuses for expanding its arsenals, by hysterically hyping up the external nuclear threats and forging an "imaginary enemy". This is not convincible even to the least extent. The nuclear issue concerns major power relations and global strategic balance and stability. The US moves are bound to push its foreign policy and nuclear strategy to the influence of its domestic military industry interest groups, exacerbating its competitive situation with China and threatening global security and strategic stability.
外交学院国际关系研究所教授李海东也指出，美国拥有世界上最先进的核武库，却仍极力渲染外部核威胁，靠树立“假想敌”的方式为扩充核武库寻找借口，让人难以信服。核问题事关大国关系及全球战略平衡与稳定。美国的种种举动将导致其对外政策和核战略继续被国内军工利益集团所绑架，加剧其对华竞争态势，威胁全球安全与战略稳定。
Intensifying risks of nuclear conflicts
加剧核冲突风险
Guo believed that the current US nuclear policy has blurred the boundary between nuclear weapons and conventional weapons, actually increasing the probability for US to use nuclear weapons in local conflicts, enhancing the risks of nuclear war, and adding great uncertainty to the global security situation.
郭晓兵认为，美国当前的核政策模糊了核武器与常规武器的界限，实际上提高了美国在局部冲突中使用核武器的概率，也增加了爆发核冲突的风险，给全球安全局势增加了极大的不确定性。
Many experts in arms control also expressed serious concerns. Daryl G. Kimball, Executive Director of the US Arms Control Association, commented that the broad and ambiguous policy as mentioned in the 2022 NPR has been a violation of the US' commitment to reducing the role of nuclear weapons in its NSS. Tara Drozdenko, Director for the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, pointed out that the 2022 NPR has strengthened the nuclear threat, with its function more like a "rubber stamp" of the US nuclear military industrial complex.
不少军控界人士也表达了严重担忧。美国军控协会执行主任达里尔•金博尔评论称，《2022核态势评估报告》中内涵宽泛、模棱两可的政策违背了降低核武器在美国国家安全战略中作用的承诺。忧思科学家联盟全球安全项目主任塔拉•德罗兹登科分析称，《2022核态势评估报告》强化了核威胁，报告的功能就像是美国核军工综合体的“橡皮图章”。
Li pointed out that one of the US's main thinking in the field of nuclear arms control lies in highlighting the absolute advantage of the US in the compilation of relevant mechanisms and agreements. Out of the reason, the US has been acting passively in the international arms control framework in recent years, having successively withdrawn from multiple international arms control treaties including the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM Treaty), and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty). What the US is pursuing is not the common security of the international community; instead, it has been seeking absolute security for itself. Guided by this thinking, the US has been vigorously expanding its nuclear arsenals and hyped up threats from major powers, with a view to compressing the strategic choices of its allies and partners without bringing them real security, while aggravating the risks of the global arms race and making the world more insecure.
李海东指出，美国在核军控领域的一个主要想法是：相关机制构建与协议安排，必须凸显美国的绝对优势。正因如此，美国近年来在国际军控架构中一直态度消极，陆续退出《反导条约》《中导条约》等国际军控条约。美国追求的不是国际社会的共同安全，而是自身的绝对安全。在这一思维的主导下，美国积极扩充核武库、炒作大国威胁，一方面压缩了其盟友伙伴的战略选择，没有给他们带来真正的安全；另一方面也加剧了全球军备竞赛风险，使世界更不安全。
Editor's note: Originally published on haiwainet.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
