Why China’s Nuclear Arsenal is Under Fire as US-Russia Pact Falls Apart

Why China’s Nuclear Arsenal is Under Fire as US-Russia Pact Falls Apart

An international organisation responsible for monitoring global nuclear testing has denied allegations by the United States that China has conducted secret nuclear tests. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) stated its monitoring system did not detect any event consistent with a nuclear weapon test explosion at the time of the alleged test.

The US accused China of failing to disclose a 2020 nuclear test, violating a 1996 test ban treaty. Although both countries signed the pact, neither has ratified it. The timing of the accusation highlights tensions over a collapsing global arms control framework and anxieties over Beijing's nuclear capabilities.

China has rejected US calls for a new three-way nuclear arms control effort, stating its arsenal is smaller than those of Washington and Moscow. The article sheds light on international nuclear politics and the implications of failing treaties on global security.