US says China may have conducted low-level nuclear test blasts, Beijing rejects

China might be secretly conducting nuclear tests with very low explosive power despite Beijing’s assertions that it is strictly adhering to an international accord banning all nuclear tests, according to a new arms-control report to be made public by the State Department, The Wall Street Journal had initially reported.

A report on arms control compliance does not offer proof, but points to circumstantial evidence, of excavations and other stepped-up activity at China’s Lop Nur test site, reported The Guardian.

In its report, the United States State Department said: "China maintained a high level of activity at its Lop Nur nuclear weapons test site throughout 2019."

"China’s possible preparation to operate its Lop Nur test site year-round, its use of explosive containment chambers, extensive excavation activities at Lop Nur, and lack of transparency on its nuclear testing activities – which has included frequently blocking the flow of data from its International Monitoring System (IMS) stations to the International Data Center operated by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization – raise concerns regarding its adherence to the “zero yield” standard adhered to by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France in their respective nuclear weapons testing moratoria," the reports said.

"Zero-yield" actually refers to a nuclear test in which there is no explosive chain reaction of the sort as caused by an atomic bomb nuclear warhead, media reports said. 

The US State Department published report further said: "The People’s Republic of China (China) has failed to adhere to its November 2000 commitment to the United States not to assist “in any way, any country in the development of ballistic missiles that can be used to deliver nuclear weapons (i.e., missiles capable of delivering a payload of at least 500 kilograms to a distance of at least 300 kilometers).”

"This failure to adhere to its November 2000 commitment is reflected in Chinese entities’ continued supply of items to missile programs of proliferation concern," it said.

The US and China had signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is the Treaty banning all nuclear explosions - everywhere, by everyone, as per CTBTO website.

Both the US and China signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), concluded in 1996, but neither country has ratified it, and – partly as a result – the agreement has not come into force. However, China has sworn to adhere to CTBT terms and the US has been observing a moratorium on nuclear testing, reported The Guardian.

Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Republican Senator Tom Cotton tweeted: "The Chinese Communist Party's conducting covert nuclear tests is yet another reason to unsign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty."

Meanwhile, China said the US was making false accusations.

"We note the report. In recent years, the US has been making the so-called Compliance Report annually, posturing as a judge or referee to criticize other countries' arms control and non-proliferation measures and style itself as a 'model'. This is distorting facts and blaming the innocent," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said during a daily briefing.

He said Beijing is committed to a moratorium on nuclear tests.

"China holds that treaties and mechanisms in arms control and non-proliferation are important pillars underpinning international peace, security and stability and should be observed and implemented," he said.

"With a high sense of responsibility, we fulfill our international obligations and commitments, uphold multilateralism and pursue international cooperation, which contributes to safeguarding the international arms control and non-proliferation regime as well as world peace and security. Our efforts are witnessed by the international community. We refuse to dignify the groundless US allegation with a refutation," he said.