• The US accuses China of conducting secret nuclear tests, seeking broader arms control talks.
• Experts state there is no evidence to support claims of China's nuclear testing.
• New START treaty expiration raises fears of a renewed arms race between nuclear powers.
• China denies allegations, asserting it maintains its commitment to nuclear test moratorium.
• Diplomatic tensions escalate as the US aims for inclusion of China in future arms agreements.

The United States has accused China of secretly conducting nuclear explosive tests, compounded by the recent expiration of the New START treaty, which had imposed limits on US and Russian nuclear arsenals. US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Thomas DiNanno, stated that China is believed to have carried out tests with yields in the hundreds of tons, claiming that China’s military has attempted to conceal these activities to avoid violating nuclear test ban commitments, according to Indiatimes and South China Morning Post.

During a disarmament conference in Geneva, DiNanno specified that a nuclear test conducted by China in June 2020 was particularly concerning, as it highlighted serious tensions at an important time for nuclear arms control. He expressed that the absence of limits post-New START is worrying, suggesting a need for a new collaborative treaty framework involving China and Russia. This sentiment was echoed by US officials, arguing that China's nuclear expansion necessitates its inclusion in future discussions, according to South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.

China has vigorously denied these accusations. Shen Jian, China's ambassador for disarmament, labeled the allegations as “false narratives” and stated that China remains committed to its moratorium on nuclear testing. This denial was supported by international monitoring reports indicating no evidence of a nuclear blast consistent with US claims about a test in 2020, according to Robert Floyd of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. He affirmed that their monitoring system did not detect any relevant activity at that time, highlighting the lack of substantiation for US claims, as noted by Al Jazeera and Indiatimes.

As the US and Russia explore resuming nuclear arms control discussions, the expiry of the New START treaty, which had been in place since 2010, signals a shift in the landscape of global nuclear governance. The absence of binding constraints has raised fears of a potential arms race, particularly as tensions with China continue to escalate. DiNanno warned that escalating arsenals, particularly China's, pose a significant threat not just to the US, but to global security, according to South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.