Why China refers to its nuclear warheads as 'national treasures'

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the secretive world of the PLA Rocket Force, the most dangerous weapons on earth are rarely called by their real names. To maintain opacity, officials use euphemisms like 'special equipment' to mask the movement and management of a rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal.

The People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) serves as China's primary ground-based nuclear deterrent. Formerly known as the Second Artillery Force until its 2016 redesignation, the service has undergone significant expansion. Since being upgraded to a full service in 20 and 15, it has added at least 11 new missile brigades, many of which are likely nuclear-capable. This growth is part of a broader strategic shift, with the Pentagon estimating that China's nuclear stockpile could reach approximately 1,000 warheads by 2030.

Managing this arsenal requires a complex logistical chain. The journey of a warhead begins at central stockpiles, such as the 'Hongchuan' facility located outside Baoji, with some assets buried deep within the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi. From these central points, warheads are moved to regional operational bases and eventually to individual brigades and battalions. This movement involves specialized units responsible for storage, guarding via air defense and physical security, and transport by road, rail, or air.

The extreme secrecy surrounding these operations makes research difficult. The PLA often employs linguistic camouflage; for instance, the term 'warhead' is frequently replaced with 'special equipment' or 'national treasure.' This opacity extends to the deployment of new silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), where details remain virtually nonexistent in public records. Despite this, the scale of the force is immense, comprising over 120,000 personnel and managing a vast array of short, medium, intermediate, and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

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