U.S. Accuses China of Secret Test; Calls Broader Talks
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United States officials accused China of conducting a secret nuclear explosive test in 2020 and urged broader multilateral arms-control talks after the New START treaty expired this week. U.S. Under Secretary Thomas DiNanno said one yield-producing test occurred on June 22, 2020, and asserted attempts to obfuscate seismic signals. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged a modernized, credible U.S. nuclear deterrent and called for multilateral negotiations including all major nuclear powers. The announcements followed the lapse of the U.S.-Russia New START accord and calls for expanded verification and international strategic stability mechanisms. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.
Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.
Timeline of Events
- June 22, 2020 — U.S. official alleges China conducted a yield-producing explosive test.
- Early February 2026 — The New START treaty between the U.S. and Russia expires.
- Feb 6, 2026 — U.S. Under Secretary Thomas DiNanno presents allegations at a disarmament conference.
- Feb 6–7, 2026 — Secretary Marco Rubio and other officials call for multilateral talks and pledge a modernized deterrent.
- Feb 7, 2026 — International media publish coverage and governments respond with calls for negotiation or verification.
- Articles Published:
- 5
- Right Leaning:
- 0
- Left Leaning:
- 0
- Neutral:
- 5
- Distribution:
- Left 0%, Center 100%, Right 0%
Nuclear-armed states and domestic policymakers advocating stronger deterrence benefit by gaining negotiation leverage and political justification for modernization; defense contractors and verification-technology providers may receive increased funding and procurement opportunities.
Non-nuclear states, arms-control proponents, and global civilian populations suffer increased strategic uncertainty, weakened verification regimes, and greater geopolitical tensions that could raise proliferation and escalation risks.
Coverage of Story:
From Left
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From Center
U.S. Accuses China of Secret Test; Calls Broader Talks
english.news.cn The Korea Times UrduPoint GMA Network WAOWFrom Right
No right-leaning sources found for this story.
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