US accuses China of secret nuclear explosive tests and hiding blasts

The US said it has intelligence that China conducted banned nuclear explosive tests and took steps to conceal them. US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno said, "I can reveal that the US government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons." He added that Beijing used "decoupling — a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring — to hide its activities from the world," and pointed to a test on June 22, 2020.

Decoupling refers to muffling the seismic signal of an underground nuclear test. A spokesperson for China's embassy in the US reiterated that Beijing is "committed to peaceful development, follows a policy of 'no first use' of nuclear weapons, and a nuclear strategy that focuses on self-defense and adheres to its nuclear testing moratorium," and said China is ready to work with other countries to uphold the agreement.

United States