US Claims China Conducted Covert Nuclear Tests After Galwan Clash
US Claims China Conducted Covert Nuclear Tests After Galwan Clash
US officials allege China carried secret nuclear tests in 2020, after the Galwan Valley clash, intensifying concerns as START expires and arms-control talks loom.
US officials allege China conducted secret nuclear explosive tests in 2020, using a method intended to reduce the effectiveness of seismic monitoring. The tests reportedly occurred about a week after the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, a period that heightened tensions along the broader security landscape. The claim highlights ongoing questions about Beijing's weapons programs and the robustness of international monitoring mechanisms.
With the New START treaty between the United States and Russia expiring, observers say there is growing urgency for a new global arms-control framework that includes China. The looming end of the bilateral agreement has sharpened attention on how to verify and limit two sets of strategic forces, and whether Beijing will participate in any future verification regime.
If the allegation about covert testing is true, it could complicate diplomacy and underscore gaps in verification. Analysts caution that reliance on assessments without independent corroboration risks fueling mistrust at a time when inclusive, verifiable arms-control arrangements are increasingly seen as essential for regional and global stability. The Galwan clash remains a stark backdrop to a shifting security environment in which all major powers are weighing their strategic options.
In the coming months, experts say restoring confidence will require renewed dialogue, transparent data-sharing, and a credible path toward verifiable limits on nuclear arsenals. The stakes are high as countries reassess risk, deterrence, and the rules that govern strategic competition.
