'Twenty minutes or so': The blunt warning of China's nuclear capability

Victor Gao is the vice-president of the Centre for China and Globalisation. (ABC News)

The vice-president of the Center for China and Globalisation (CCG) has issued Australia a warning over acquiring nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement, just days after his nation test-fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile in the Pacific.

"Australia should really treasure the luxury of being a nuclear-free country," Victor Gao, vice-president of the CCG, told 7.30.

That warning was followed by a boast about China's own nuclear capabilities, which Professor Gao said were on par with those of the United States.

China has in recent years expanded its military capabilities. (AP: Mark Schiefelbein)

As of 2024, the Pentagon estimated China's nuclear warhead stockpile numbers were in the low 600s, and it predicted that arsenal would climb to more than 1,000 operational warheads by 2030.

But Professor Gao told 7.30 it was folly for other nations to guess at Chinese capabilities.

"You never know how many nuclear warheads China has, and this is the biggest strategic ambiguity in our times," he said.

"Last year … I made a point [that] no country should ever imagine imposing a nuclear war on China because, while China will not tell you how many nuclear warheads China has, China will have enough nuclear warheads to annihilate the country which dares to impose a nuclear war on China.

"This is the strategic certainty and the assurance in our time."

The Chinese missile that was launched on Monday landed near Tuvalu. (Supplied: Joseph Wu/Government of Taiwan/X)

The stark words came in the aftermath of the test that was condemned by Pacific leaders and described as "provocative" by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Professor Gao dismissed Monday's test, launched from a nuclear-powered submarine, as "very routine".

However, it was China's first test of such a weapon since September 2024, when it conducted a land-based launch.

Asked if the world would see more testing from China, Professor Gao again looked to promote China's nuclear strength.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has overseen a build-up of China's military. (Reuters: Kirill Kudryavtsev/Pool)

"China has already declared to the world its nuclear launch capabilities can touch any corner, in any part of the world within 20 minutes or so," he said.

"No country should be an obstacle to China's testing like this.

"I hope every country in the world, including Australia, should be very happy to see that China's declared nuclear policies not to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear weapon