The United States, now unbound from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia, plans to deploy ground-launched missiles to counter China’s growing arsenal and deter potential conflict, according to the heads of the State Department and the Pentagon.
Following more than a decade of violations by Russia, the United States withdrew from the treaty on Aug. 2. While Washington and Moscow remained formally bound by the treaty from flight-testing or possessing intermediate-range, ground-launched missiles, China aggressively developed these weapons, a strategic gap that has long been a concern for the Pentagon.
