U.S. reveals new seismic details on China's suspected nuclear test
U.S. reveals new seismic details on China's suspected nuclear test
A senior U.S. official lays out seismic data suggesting a 2020 underground blast at Lop Nor, while China and CTBTO urge caution and denial persists.
A senior U.S. official presented new seismic details he says point to an underground nuclear test Beijing allegedly conducted in June 2020. The data come from a remote seismic station in Kazakhstan and indicate a magnitude-2.75 explosion about 720 kilometers away at the Lop Nor test grounds in western China on June 22, 2020. The official noted he has reviewed additional data and argued there is very little chance the event was anything but an explosion, adding that the signals do not align with mining activity. He also stressed the data are not consistent with an earthquake, describing it as what you would expect from a nuclear explosive test.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), responsible for detecting nuclear test blasts, said there are insufficient data to confirm the official’s allegation with confidence. A Chinese embassy spokesperson in Washington dismissed the claim as entirely unfounded and an attempt to fabricate excuses for resuming U.S. nuclear testing. Beijing has previously rejected such accusations as political maneuvering and reiterated its commitment to the global nonproliferation regime.
China is often cited in debates over its nuclear capabilities. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute notes China has about 500 nuclear warheads, with some on high operational alert for the first time. The discussion around decoupling and alleged concealment of tests has featured prominently in U.S. commentary, with outlets discussing the method as a potential means of hiding tests while maintaining a broader strategic posture.
In context, the Times of India published a piece that framed the debate around the so-called decoupling method—the US-claims China used to conceal a secret nuclear test—highlighting how officials continue to frame the issue amid conflicting data and geopolitical tension.
