While not officially confirmed by Beijing, recent reports and defense assessments have highlighted growing evidence that China may have successfully tested or deployed a new type of hydrogen bomb — a weapon that could significantly alter military calculations across the globe.

According to a report by The Financial Times, U.S. intelligence agencies have been closely monitoring a series of high-altitude tests and underground nuclear activity in China’s Xinjiang region, particularly near the Lop Nur nuclear test site.

Analysts suggest these could be related to advancements in thermonuclear technology.

Further, a recent article by The New York Times cited senior defense officials expressing concern over China’s accelerated testing schedule, which they believe is part of Beijing’s goal to triple its nuclear arsenal by 2035.

Some of these tests reportedly show signatures consistent with thermonuclear or boosted-fission devices.

Hydrogen bombs, also known as thermonuclear weapons, are vastly more powerful than traditional atomic bombs. Unlike fission bombs, which split atoms to release energy, hydrogen bombs use a secondary fusion reaction — the same process that powers the sun.

The destructive capability of such a weapon is exponentially greater, and its deployment by China would mark a significant leap in the country’s strategic deterrence capabilities.

Military analyst James Acton of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told Reuters that if China is refining its hydrogen bomb technology, “it is not just a technical breakthrough but a political message — a signal to the U.S. and its allies about Beijing’s long-term deterrence strategy.”

The Pentagon has not officially confirmed the existence of a new Chinese hydrogen bomb, but it has acknowledged increased nuclear activity in recent Defense Department reports.

In its 2024 annual report on China’s military power, the Department of Defense stated that China now possesses over 500 operational nuclear warheads, a sharp increase from previous years.