China Denies Secret Nuclear Tests, Accuses U.S. of Using Allegations as Pretext

Beijing: China has rejected U.S. allegations that it conducted secret nuclear tests, calling the claims “completely false” and accusing Washington of using such claims as a pretext to resume its own nuclear testing.

At a United Nations disarmament conference in Geneva on Friday, the U.S. alleged that China had carried out nuclear tests in 2020. In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that these accusations are unfounded and a deliberate attempt by the U.S. to justify restarting large-scale nuclear tests. China urged the United States to refrain from “irresponsible actions” that could escalate global tensions.

Rising Tensions Between Washington and Beijing
The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Dinano made the allegations amid ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to bring China into nuclear arms limitation treaties with the U.S. and Russia. This follows the expiration of the New START treaty, the last major agreement regulating nuclear weapons between Washington and Moscow. China has so far refused to participate in disarmament talks.

In October last year, U.S. President Donald Trump also raised concerns about China’s nuclear arsenal, warning that Washington would resume testing nuclear weapons to maintain parity with Moscow and Beijing, though he provided few details. U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concern over China’s rapid expansion of its nuclear capabilities.

China’s Growing Nuclear Arsenal
U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio emphasized that arms control should not remain a bilateral issue between the U.S. and Russia. He stated that all major powers, particularly China, have a responsibility to ensure strategic stability. The West has warned that China is expanding its nuclear weapons stockpile rapidly and secretly, with estimates suggesting it could have up to 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2020.