The U.S. Department of Defense's latest annual report on China's military developments has sparked diplomatic tension, revealing significant growth in Beijing's nuclear capabilities and drawing sharp criticism from Chinese officials.

According to the 166-page Pentagon report released Wednesday, China's operational nuclear warhead count has increased to over 600 in 2024, up from approximately 500 last year. The report projects China's arsenal will exceed 1,000 warheads by 2030, marking the fastest nuclear buildup since the Cold War.

Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu strongly rejected the report's characterization, stating, 'China has always firmly adhered to a nuclear strategy of self-defense, following a policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons and maintaining its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security.'

The report also highlighted China's increasing pressure on Taiwan, noting Beijing's naval presence around the island and increased military exercises in the region. The Pentagon assessment suggests that Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed the People's Liberation Army to be capable of taking action against Taiwan by 2027.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian dismissed the report as being 'filled with bias and designed to amplify the China threat narrative only to justify the U.S. desire to maintain military supremacy.'

Beyond nuclear capabilities, the report detailed China's expanding conventional military power, including a naval force of over 370 ships and submarines, up from approximately 340 reported in 2022. The document also examined China's deepening military relationship with Russia, described as a 'no-limits partnership.'

Beijing has called on Washington to 'abandon the Cold War mentality' and take concrete actions to maintain stable bilateral relations. The report's release comes in the wake of recent high-level meetings between President Xi and President Biden, where both leaders sought to stabilize increasingly tense U.S.-China relations.