China outpaces US in missile launchers, Pentagon tells Congress

close

Video

Mark Green: Handling of China spy flight a 'huge problem for America'

Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., argues what China did was an invasion and urges the Biden administration to stand strong against China.

China now has a greater number of land-based intercontinental-range missile launchers, according to a January letter the Pentagon sent to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees that was obtained by Fox News Digital.

"The number of land-based fixed and mobile ICBM launchers in China exceeds the number of ICBM launchers in the United States," the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command wrote in a short letter to the committees on Jan. 26.

BIDEN TO MAKE 'REFERENCE' TO CHINESE SPY FLIGHTS IN STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS: OFFICIAL

The letter was sent days before the military discovered a Chinese spy balloon carrying sensors and surveillance equipment hovering across the U.S. that was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, raising fears of escalating tensions with the communist country. The White House suspended a trip for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China after news reports of the spy balloon, which traveled over several military bases and had the opportunity to surveil U.S. ICBM sites.

US MILITARY CAUTIOUS THAT CHINESE SPY FLIGHT HAD 'POTENTIAL FOR EXPLOSIVES TO DETONATE AND DESTROY' BALLOON

China's military fired missiles into the water off eastern Taiwan, Aug. 4, 2022, in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting the island. (China Military)

The U.S. still has more intercontinental-range missiles and nuclear warheads, the military assured Congress, as many of China’s land-based launchers consist of empty silos. However, the extensive number of launchers in China leads reason to believe more nuclear weapons are being produced.

AIR FORCE WARNS CHINESE COMPANY'S NORTH DAKOTA MILL WOULD BE 'SIGNIFICANT' NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT

The U.S. military notified Congress in January it is outpaced by China in land-based intercontinental-range missile launchers, a January letter to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees obtained by Fox News Digital revealed. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

The letter was in response to an inquiry from members of Congress in December on the arms race between China and the U.S.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The U.S. Strategic Command also noted in the letter that updates were made last year to classification information to require reports on China’s missile launchers.

President Biden will reference the Chinese spy balloon in his State of the Union address Tuesday, a senior administration official told Fox News.