China has forcefully denied what it deems “irresponsible” claims from Donald Trump that it is secretly conducting underground nuclear tests. The former U.S. president made the allegations during a ‘60 minutes’ interview, naming both China and Russia as violators of the global testing moratorium.
In response, China’s foreign ministry stated it has always “upheld a self-defence nuclear strategy.” The ministry’s spokesperson emphasized that Beijing has “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing” and remains a “responsible” nuclear power.
Trump’s claims, however, were specific and accusatory. He alleged that these countries conduct tests “way underground where people don’t know exactly what’s happening.” When pressed, he dismissed the lack of public knowledge, saying, “As powerful as they are, this is a big world. You don’t necessarily know where they’re testing.”
The allegations were used as a prelude to a major U.S. policy announcement. Trump revealed he had instructed the U.S. to resume its own testing “on an equal basis.” This order was first posted on his Truth Social platform on Thursday.
Trump’s order comes in the wake of Russia testing a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Burevestnik. The former president also noted that while he discussed denuclearization with both President Putin and President Xi, he believed the U.S. must maintain its deterrent, which he claimed was the largest in the world.