Description
China’s nuclear deterrent is traditionally described as minimal, and its No First Use policy has not changed for more than 60 years. The article investigates the early post-Mao period (1977-1985) to assess whether and how the reform and opening up influenced nuclear strategy. On one side, the article finds that the Chinese approach did not undergo a radical change. On the other, the political-military leadership developed innovative concepts and weapon systems which implied a step away from the traditional posture. Such findings suggest that the post-Mao leadership was more pragmatic regarding nuclear weapons than generally acknowledged.
