Missile defences would undermine such an offensive-minded nuclear posture. A nuclear first strike would be impossible or more difficult under an NMD regime. Official sources argue an NMD regime, because it would neutralize the offensive capability of both countries, would kill this Pakistan bogey. K. Subrahmanyam, the dean of Indian nuclear thinking, has written China's reaction to the NMD should be India's primary concern about missile defence.
Officials point out China is a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Article 6 of that treaty commits its signatories to reducing nuclear arsenals. Analysts note that the Bush proposal echoes earlier Russian calls for weapons cuts and de-alerting. Beijing alone bucks the trend. NMD is also serving to throw up contradictions in China's nuclear posture. If so, ask officials, then NMD should pose no problem for China.