US Unveils 2020 Nuclear Testing Claims After China’s Denial
Recent intelligence released by the United States government supports its claim that China engaged in “illegal” underground nuclear testing in 2020 near Lop Nur, according to reports. A senior State Department official has indicated that the US plans to resume its nuclear tests in response to actions taken by China. This occurs in the context of Beijing’s assertion that it has meticulously adhered to an international agreement prohibiting all nuclear explosions. A senior State Department official indicated that a seismic monitoring station in Kazakhstan recorded a 2.75 magnitude event on June 22, 2020. The United States has leveled accusations against China regarding the execution of a covert low-yield nuclear test during that period. China and the US are both signatories to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, yet they have not ratified it; as a result, it is not legally in force. Christopher Yeaw detailed that a minor 2.75 magnitude earthquake was detected by a remote seismic station in Kazakhstan on June 22, 2020. The US official stated that the earthquake, in fact, originated approximately 450 miles away at China’s primary nuclear test site, known as Lop Nur.
“There is very little possibility that it is anything other than an explosion, a singular explosion….It is quite consistent with what you would expect from a nuclear explosive test,” Yeaw stated. The institute has published the dialogue on its X platform. Yeaw further stated, “If adversaries conduct nuclear tests but the US does not, America is putting itself at an intolerable disadvantage.” The Trump administration aims to create a more equitable competitive environment. The United States Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno stated on X that, “Denials by China only make it worse.” We anticipate discussions that will further President Trump’s vision for a world characterized by a reduction in nuclear weapons. At this juncture, we are unable to accept nuclear tests conducted by other nations that position us at an unacceptable disadvantage. China categorically dismissed the allegations, labeling them as “outright lies” and accused Washington of leveraging these claims as a pretext to resume nuclear testing. Earlier this month, on February 6, DiNanno addressed the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, alleging that China had carried out nuclear weapons tests resulting in supercritical yields, including a specific test conducted on June 22, 2020. DiNanno noted that China has employed “decoupling” as a strategy to diminish the detectability of its nuclear tests.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation issued a statement on February 6, indicating that the station recorded “two very small seismic events” occurring 12 seconds apart on that day. However, it noted that the data were insufficiently robust to ascertain the cause with confidence. Concerning the reports of potential nuclear tests with yields reaching hundreds of tonnes, it is noteworthy that on 22 June 2020, the IMS of the CTBTO did not register any event that aligned with the defining characteristics of a nuclear weapon test explosion during that period. Subsequent, more detailed analyses have not changed that conclusion,” The Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, reported on February 13 that the satellite imagery analyzed of the Lop Nur site did not yield any definitive evidence to either corroborate or refute US claims regarding China’s test.
The expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty on February 5 has been met with a refusal from US President Donald Trump to accept Moscow’s proposal for a one-year extension. Trump advocates for a “better agreement” that would encompass China as well. Daryl Kimball underscored that a return to testing by the US would trigger a domino effect of nuclear testing among other nuclear-armed nations. According to Kimball in an interview, the United States ought to initiate discussions with Russia and China focused on enhancing confidence-building measures to avert the reinitiation of nuclear testing.
