Tensions between the United States and China have resurfaced sharply after Washington accused Beijing of carrying out a secret nuclear test in June 2020, just days after the deadly Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops. The allegation has added a new layer of strain to already fragile global arms control efforts, especially at a time when key nuclear treaties no longer remain in force.
US Raises Nuclear Test Allegation at Geneva Meet
The accusation came during a Disarmament Conference in Geneva, where US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Thomas DiNanno claimed that China conducted a nuclear explosive test on June 22, 2020. According to him, China allegedly used advanced techniques to conceal the test from international monitoring systems. He also pointed to the rapid expansion of China’s nuclear arsenal and stressed that Chinese nuclear weapons never fell under the limits of the New START Treaty.
US officials linked the concern to the changing global security landscape after the expiration of New START, the last major nuclear arms control agreement between Washington and Moscow. They argued that existing frameworks fail to address emerging threats and new nuclear powers.
China Dismisses Charges, Warns Against Arms Race
China strongly rejected the US claims and denied posing any nuclear threat. Chinese envoy Shen Jian said Washington was exaggerating the issue and fueling unnecessary fear. He accused the US of using such allegations to justify an arms race and distract from its own nuclear stockpile.
Shen stressed that China maintains a much smaller nuclear arsenal compared to the United States and Russia. He also reiterated Beijing’s long-standing position that it follows a defensive nuclear policy and has no interest in escalating tensions.
Arms Control Uncertainty Deepens
The controversy has revived debate over global nuclear stability following the collapse of key treaties. The New START Treaty, signed in 2010 and extended in 2021, placed limits on US and Russian nuclear weapons. However, mutual accusations and geopolitical conflicts weakened its future, and it has now effectively ceased to function.
Both the US and China have signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty but have not ratified it, leaving room for suspicion and diplomatic friction. Earlier attempts by former US President Donald Trump to bring China into future nuclear agreements also failed, as Beijing cited its comparatively smaller arsenal.
As major powers trade accusations, experts warn that the absence of a modern arms control framework could increase global insecurity. The latest exchange highlights how strategic rivalries and unresolved conflicts continue to challenge international efforts to prevent nuclear escalation.
For the latest updates, click here.
