US accuses China of covert nuclear tests as arms-control talks loom
US accuses China of covert nuclear tests as arms-control talks loom
The United States accuses China of secret nuclear tests and urges Beijing to rejoin talks as New START nears expiry, raising concerns of a renewed arms race.
The United States has publicly accused China of secretly carrying out nuclear tests, urging Beijing to rejoin arms-control discussions as the New START treaty approaches its expiry. A top U.S. nuclear official described the alleged covert activity and emphasized the need to prevent a further destabilizing advance in nuclear capabilities.
China has rejected the claims, arguing that its arsenal is limited and stating it will not participate in new talks unless actions are verifiable and balanced. Beijing maintains that it seeks no arms race and wants a security architecture that reflects its defensive needs.
The issue sits in a wider context where Russia and the United States remain responsible for the majority of the world's nuclear warheads. With New START expiring, negotiators say urgent talks are needed, but Beijing's stance complicates efforts to curb a potential expansion of intercontinental deterrence.
Observers warn that if suspicions persist, the spectrum of testing and counter-testing could intensify, pushing the United States to consider restarting its own testing program to match what is alleged to have occurred elsewhere. The debate underscores the fragile balance of strategic stability and the high stakes of arms-control diplomacy.
