US Accuses China of Covert Nuclear Testing, Citing Preparations for Further Explosions

Washington D.C. The United States on Friday accused China of conducting a secret nuclear explosive test and preparing for a large volume of further tests. The US stated this violates the international test ban treaty.

“I can confirm that China has tested a nuclear explosive device and is preparing to test in the hundreds of tons,” claimed US Deputy Secretary Thomas DiNanno at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament held in Geneva.

He added, “China conducted such a nuclear test to develop its products on June 22, 2020.” US President Donald Trump had made similar accusations late last year.

President Trump stated on October 31 that Washington would begin nuclear testing with Moscow and Beijing on an equal footing. DiNanno said on Friday, “China's People's Liberation Army has sought to conceal the tests by overshadowing the nuclear explosion because these tests confirm violations of testing commitment obligations.”

He accused China of using ‘decoupling (a method to reduce the effectiveness of seismic monitoring)’ to hide its activities from the world.

DiNanno's remarks came as the US is presenting a new plan to call for trilateral talks with Russia and China to set new limits on nuclear weapons, following the expiration of the ‘New START’ treaty, the last treaty between the top nuclear powers, the US and Russia.

China has previously refused to participate in disarmament talks.