China has categorically rejected U.S. assertions that it has conducted nuclear explosive tests, labeling the accusations as baseless and politically motivated. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that the United States is fabricating pretexts to justify its own potential resumption of nuclear testing, a move Beijing strongly opposes.
The response was delivered by spokesperson Lin Jian during a regular press briefing in Beijing. Lin directly challenged the credibility of U.S. claims, describing the persistent criticism of China’s nuclear policy as a form of political manipulation designed to serve American strategic interests. He alleged that the core U.S. objective is to pursue nuclear hegemony while avoiding its own commitments to nuclear disarmament under international treaties.
A key point of contention raised by Lin is the expiration of the New START Treaty (Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms) between the United States and Russia. This treaty, a cornerstone of bilateral nuclear arms control, lapsed in 2021 without renewal. Lin argued that the U.S. failure to extend or replace the agreement has severely damaged mutual trust among major powers and compromised global strategic stability. He positioned the U.S. as the primary destabilizing force in the international nuclear order.
China maintains it adheres to a defensive nuclear policy and has consistently fulfilled its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The ministry’s statement underscores a deepening rift in nuclear discourse between the two nations, with China framing U.S. actions and rhetoric as the central challenge to existing arms control frameworks.
The exchange highlights the fraught state of global nuclear diplomacy. With the last remaining treaty limiting the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals now defunct, concerns over a new arms race are escalating. China’s fierce rebuttal signals its intent to counter U.S. criticism by reframing the narrative around American treaty violations and strategic ambition. The situation points to a significant obstacle in future multilateral efforts to strengthen non-proliferation norms and reduce nuclear risks, as mutual accusations replace cooperative dialogue.
