Washington, DC – The US on Friday accused China of conducting secret nuclear tests in 2020. It also called for a new and more comprehensive nuclear arms control treaty that includes both Beijing and Moscow. This comes amid escalating tensions between the major nuclear powers and a new era of strategic uncertainty.
The US accusations were made during a global disarmament conference in Geneva. This happened just one day after the expiration of the 2010 New START treaty between Washington and Moscow. That treaty imposed binding limits on the number of strategic missiles and nuclear warheads deployed by both sides.
Explosive experiments
Thomas DiNano, the US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, stated that the U.S. government is aware of China’s nuclear explosive testing activities. These tests included preparations for tests with explosive yields of up to hundreds of tons.
Moreover, he added that the Chinese military has attempted to conceal these activities using techniques that reduce the ability of international seismic monitoring. This constitutes a violation of China’s nuclear test ban obligations. DiNano noted that one such test took place on June 22, 2020.
Escalation and mutual accusations
Dinano explained that the world is currently facing a new reality of nuclear multipolarity. He emphasized that bilateral treaties will no longer suffice in 2026 and beyond. He reiterated his country’s call for a new agreement that includes China. This comes at a time when Washington estimates that Beijing will possess more than a thousand nuclear warheads by 2030.
For his part, Chen Jian, China’s ambassador for disarmament affairs, rejected the American accusations. He deemed them exaggerated and indicative of Cold War rhetoric. He affirmed that China acts responsibly and prudently on nuclear issues. And he also stressed that its nuclear arsenal remains significantly smaller than those of the US and Russia.
He added that his country will not participate in new arms control negotiations at this time. Furthermore, he called on Washington to adopt an approach based on shared security and international cooperation, rather than escalation and mutual accusations.
