China’s nuclear journey began during the Cold War, when Mao Zedong’s leadership saw nuclear weapons as essential to protecting China’s sovereignty. Initially relying on assistance from the Soviet Union, China quickly accelerated its nuclear programme, conducting its first nuclear test in 1964. In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by leading nuclear policy experts Dr Jingdong Yuan, Dr Tong Zhao and Dr Fiona Cunningham to discuss China’s recent ambitious expansions of its nuclear capabilities. This shift is monitored globally and poses the question why China is moving away from its traditional nuclear posture and what it means for global security?

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Since the Cold War, France has charted an independent course in nuclear policy, without relying on external security guarantees. But what makes France’s nuclear strategy different from that of the United States, United Kingdom or Russia? And how does it fit into the European security architecture today? In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by leading nuclear policy experts Héloïse Fayet, Emmanuelle Maitre and Dr Liviu Horovitz to discuss France’s nuclear programme that began in the shadows of World War II, as French leaders, including Charles de Gaulle, sought to ensure that the country would never again be left vulnerable to invasion or external political pressure. Unlike the UK, which fully integrated its nuclear programme with the United States, France pursued a self-sufficient approach, developing its own warheads, missiles and delivery systems.

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How has the nuclear weapons programme of the United Kingdom evolved from its origins during World War II to its strategic choices during the Cold War? With the current international order in disarray, the United Kingdom has maintained its nuclear arsenal for over 70 years, but its nuclear warheads, missiles, and delivery systems are deeply intertwined with American technology and supply chains. In this episode of The Arms Control Poseur, host Dr Alexander Bollfrass is joined by Dr Marion Messmer, Dr Daniel Salisbury and Sebastian Brixey-Williams, leading experts on British nuclear policy, arms control and international security. Together, they provide a deep dive into the history, challenges, and the future of the UK’s nuclear weapons programme, from its World War II origins to the challenges of the Cold War and today’s geopolitical uncertainties.

Join the conversation—follow us on X (@IISS_org) or visit the website of our Strategy, Technology and Arms Control research programme: Strategy, Technology and Arms Control | IISS Research programme

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