China has unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the continental United States and Western Europe, in what marks a rare public disclosure about its strategic nuclear capabilities.
Chinese state media outlet CCTV revealed details about the Dongfeng-5B (DF-5B), describing it as the country's “first-generation strategic ICBM.” The missile reportedly has a range of 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles) and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead with an explosive yield of 3 to 4 megatons.
Notably, the DF-5B is said to feature Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, enabling it to deliver multiple warheads to separate targets. Its reported yield is approximately 200 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
This week’s announcement represents a significant departure from Beijing’s traditionally secretive posture regarding its nuclear weapons program. Chinese authorities have historically refrained from publicly detailing their nuclear capabilities, but the public presentation of the DF-5B may signal a shift toward greater transparency—or strategic signaling—amid rising tensions with the United States in the Indo-Pacific region.
China first developed nuclear weapons in the 1960s and has long maintained a significantly smaller arsenal than either the United States or Russia, with estimates ranging between 200 and 600 warheads in recent decades. However, recent assessments by U.S. intelligence agencies suggest that Beijing no longer considers its current arsenal an adequate deterrent.
According to various reports, China added approximately 90 new warheads in 2024 alone. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that China may surpass 1,000 nuclear warheads by the year 2030.
In addition to the DF-5B, China is continuing the rapid expansion of its DF-31 and DF-41 ICBM programs.
The timing of the DF-5B’s public debut comes just days before a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. While Trump publicly framed the discussion as focused on trade, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's summary of the conversation also mentioned military topics, including Taiwan—an area of persistent friction between Washington and Beijing.