The United States government has alleged that China conducted a secret nuclear test. A senior official presented new seismic data to support this claim. The event reportedly occurred on June 22, 2020, near China's Lop Nur test site. A monitoring station in Kazakhstan detected an explosion of magnitude 2.75. The official stated the data was not consistent with an earthquake.
However, independent experts have expressed skepticism about the evidence. The international body responsible for detecting nuclear tests found the data inconclusive. It said the seismic events were too small to assess with confidence. China has firmly denied the allegation and called it political manipulation. A Chinese spokesperson said the claim was an excuse to resume American testing.
This dispute has emerged during a critical period for global arms control. The New START treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired in February 2026. President Trump has urged China to join a new three-way arms agreement. China has so far refused, noting its arsenal is much smaller. Its warhead count has grown from about 200 in 2019 to over 600 today.
Many analysts believe this situation could reshape international security for decades. If countries resumed nuclear testing, a long-standing global norm would collapse. Arms control experts warn that a new nuclear arms race could follow. The world has not seen a confirmed nuclear test since 2017. Diplomatic efforts to maintain stability remain more important than ever.
