Having developed its capabilities for over five decades, China’s nuclear force has seen impressive progress, with new weapons and the equipment displayed at the National Day military parade in 2019 all commissioned to the Chinese armed forces, said State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe on Sunday.

Since the building of the Chinese nuclear force, China has developed its capabilities for over five decades, and it is fair to say that there has been impressive progress, said Wei, when asked about China’s nuclear capabilities development after his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

“Let me be frank. China’s policy on nuclear power is consistent. We use it for self-defense, we will not be the first to use nuclear power, and we develop nuclear capabilities with an ultimate goal of eliminating nuclear weapons. We develop nuclear capabilities to protect the peaceful hard work of the Chinese people and to protect our country from the scourge of war, particularly nuclear war,” Wei said.

All weapons and equipment displayed at the military parade celebrating the 70th National Day in 2019 have entered service with the troops, but China does not participate in an arms race, and China’s nuclear weapon development is appropriate to the times, walking on a path of nuclear power development with Chinese characteristics, Wei said.

China pursues a path of peaceful development and does not seek hegemony, this is written in the Constitution and in the Constitution of the Communist Party of China, Wei said.

Global Times