China Expands Nuclear Arsenal, Advances Coastal Strike Capabilities Amid US-Pacific Tensions

China's recent military activities have raised significant concerns among its regional neighbors and the United States. New Zealand has accused China of misleading them regarding a 2024 long-range missile test over the South Pacific, a claim denied by Beijing, amid concerns over China's expanding nuclear arsenal and missile capabilities. Taiwan is alarmed by China's trials of Shuiqiao-type landing barges, which could facilitate rapid troop and heavy vehicle landings on contested islands, coinciding with intensified PLA military exercises near Taiwan and Japan. The Philippines has firmly rejected China's protests over hosting U.S. missile systems capable of targeting much of China's east coast, emphasizing the defensive nature of these deployments amid ongoing maritime disputes. Additionally, U.S. military analysts are wary of China's covert Containerized Sea Defense Combat System, missile-launch platforms disguised as commercial shipping containers, which pose stealthy threats to U.S. assets and complicate rules of engagement. These developments underscore escalating tensions and strategic maneuvering in the Indo-Pacific region involving China, its neighbors, and U.S. allies.