US claims of Chinese nuclear blast test lack concrete evidence

US Official Accuses China of Conducting Clandestine Nuclear Tests

A senior US official, Thomas DiNanno, made allegations against China at a recent United Nations disarmament conference in Geneva, Switzerland. DiNanno claimed that the US government is aware of China’s alleged conduct of nuclear explosive tests, including preparations for tests with yields in the hundreds of tonnes.

According to DiNanno, China’s military sought to conceal testing by obfuscating nuclear explosions, as it recognized these tests violated test ban commitments. He also stated that China conducted a yield-producing nuclear test on June 22, 2020.

The US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security made these assertions in a series of posts on social media, calling for “new architecture” in nuclear weapons control agreements following the expiration of the New START treaty with Russia. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s monitoring system did not detect any event consistent with the characteristics of a nuclear weapon test explosion at the time of the alleged Chinese test.

China’s ambassador on nuclear disarmament, Shen Jian, responded to DiNanno’s allegations by stating that Beijing has always acted prudently and responsibly on nuclear issues. He also rejected US accusations, saying they were “false” and “unfounded.” Diplomats at the conference described the US allegations as new and concerning.

The US and China have both signed but not ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which bans explosive nuclear tests. Russia has signed and ratified it, but withdrew its ratification in 2023. The US President previously instructed the US military to prepare for the resumption of nuclear tests, stating that other countries are conducting them without offering details.

China’s stance on the issue remains unclear, with authorities showing little interest in the US proposal for China’s involvement in any future nuclear treaty.

Source: Al Jazeera