China Rebukes Trump’s ‘Secret Nuclear Testing’ Allegations

China’s foreign ministry on Monday issued a strong denial of claims made by President Donald Trump, who alleged that Beijing has been conducting nuclear weapons tests in secret. The ministry countered the accusations by stating that China is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has always adhered to its international commitments.
Beijing emphasized its posture as one of “self-defence,” asserting that the nation has consistently “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.” This response came directly after Trump’s explosive claims during a television interview.
During the ‘60 minutes’ program, Trump claimed that both Russia and China were conducting underground nuclear tests without public knowledge. He used these allegations to justify a potential shift in U.S. policy, stating, “I don’t want to be the only country that doesn’t test.”
This rhetoric was consistent with a social media post Trump made on Thursday, where he announced he had “instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.” He claimed this was a reluctant move, stating he “hated” it but “had no choice.”
The former president also boasted of the U.S. arsenal, claiming it has more nuclear weapons than any other country and that it was fully updated during his first term. He further alleged that while Russia has a large arsenal, China’s is a “distant third.”