US nuclear testing debate reignites after State Dept alleges China nuclear test
FOX News7 hrs
Beijing Denies US Claims of Nuclear Tests in China
Is China secretly testing nuclear weapons or is the US fabricating claims to justify its own nuclear expansion?
Above: People's Liberation Army (PLA) DF-5C liquid-fueled intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2025. Image credit: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
It's clear China conducted a nuclear test in 2020, with seismic data from Kazakhstan showing a 2.75-magnitude explosion that can only be explained as a singular detonation. The U.S. cannot tolerate this disadvantage and must resume testing on an equal basis to match secret explosions conducted by China and Russia. Allowing adversaries to advance their nuclear capabilities through covert testing while America remains bound by outdated restrictions puts national security at unacceptable risk.
Establishment-critical narrative
American accusations of Chinese nuclear testing are completely groundless fabrications designed to justify resuming tests and evade disarmament responsibilities. The United States remains the biggest disruptor of the international nuclear order, letting New START expire, upgrading its nuclear triad with trillions of dollars and applying double standards on nonproliferation. Washington should fulfill its special responsibility for nuclear disarmament instead of manufacturing pretexts for nuclear hegemony.
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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0