In a front-page article in the official Global Times on May 8, its Editor-in-Chief He Xijin argued that China needs to expand the number of its nuclear warheads to 1,000 in a relatively short time. He said it needs at least 100 Dongfeng-41 strategic missiles. He justified the increased nuclear arsenal as necessary "to curb US strategic ambitions and impulses toward China. Maybe we have to deal with challenges with stronger determination in the near future, which requires the support of the Dongfeng and Julang missiles".  He Jixin said "Don't be naïve. Don't assume that nuclear warheads are useless. In fact, they are being used every day as a deterrent to shape the attitudes of US elites toward China. Some Chinese experts say we don't need more nuclear weapons, I think they are as naïve as children". Asserting that China needs to accelerate steps to enhance the nuclear arsenal and that denying that he is a "war monger", he said "I always hope China and the US can get along with each other, but peaceful coexistence between the two countries is not a thing that can be begged for; it's shaped by strategic tools. This is particularly true as we are facing an increasingly irrational US, which only believes in strength". 

Another article also on the front-page of Global Times on May 8 and captioned 'China urged to expand nuclear arsenal to deter US warmongers' quoted Chinese military experts to argue that China faces rising strategic threats from the US and needs to increase its number of nuclear warheads and complete a technologically advanced nuclear triad by developing the H-20 strategic stealth bomber and JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missiles to deter potential impulsive military action by US warmongers". It said the US has been increasing military pressure on China and planned to deploy Tomahawk ground-launched missiles in islands in the South China Sea. It said "Having a nuclear arsenal appropriate to China's position will help establish a more stable and peaceful world order, which will be beneficial for the whole world". It referred to article by He Jixin and quoted Chinese military expert Song Zhongping saying that the "US is pressuring and threatening China in all fields" and that the "US no longer sees nuclear weapons as a mere deterrence - now viewing them as deployable on the battlefield - China will have to expand its nuclear arsenal in response to this huge threat". Asked to comment on whether China will build more nuclear warheads and DF-41 missiles and if China will join an arms treaty with the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at the weekly press conference that major countries should have prioritised responsibility and an obligation to reduce strategic nuclear weapons. Beijing-based military expert Wei Dongxu told the Global Times that China's next-generation SLBM will have a longer range and carry more nuclear warheads, providing more powerful deterrent and counterattack capabilities. The rumoured H-20 bomber can carry both nuclear and conventional weapons, fly across continents and conduct strategic deterrent missions, making it a trump card for the Chinese Air Force. Song Zhongping said the complete development of a nuclear triad - nuclear weapon launch capabilities from sea, land and air - is necessary for China as the US' strategic weapons are a threat to China, and China needs to continuously upgrade its nuclear arsenal. He added that China has no intention of launching a nuclear arms race with the US, but moderately expanding its nuclear arsenal in both quantity and quality is in line with the demands of national security. Wei Dongxu also said China's upgrading of its nuclear weapons will also contribute to the establishment of a new strategic balance and that if China has stronger strategic deterrence capabilities, countries that tend to wage wars will be less likely to start one. "This will be good for the whole world," he said.