US Accuses China Of Secret Nuclear Test Post-Galwan Clash With India In 2020

Washington: The United States has left the world abuzz with the revelation that China allegedly conducted a secret nuclear test in June 2020, just days after the deadly Galwan Valley clash between the Indian Armed Forces and the Chinese forces. The revelation, made by US Under Secretary of State Thomas DiNanno, has stirred concerns about nuclear proliferation and regional stability.

Speaking at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, DiNanno stated that the US government is aware of China's nuclear explosive tests, including one conducted in the year 2020, on June 22, using a technique called "decoupling" to evade detection. According to the experts, the technique involves detonating an explosive in a large underground cavity to muffle seismic waves, making it challenging for global agencies to detect.

Importantly, the timing of the alleged nuclear test is important, coming just 7 days after the Galwan Valley clash, which claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers and many more Chinese personnel in number. The faceoff was one of the deadliest confrontations between India and China in decades, triggering tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

DiNanno's allegations have drawn global attention, with China denying any wrongdoing. Shen Jian, China's ambassador on nuclear disarmament, accused the US of hyping up the "so-called China nuclear threat" and claimed that Beijing has always acted responsibly on nuclear issues.

The US has long been wary of China's nuclear ambitions, with estimates suggesting that Beijing has around 600 nuclear warheads. The alleged nuclear test comes as the last nuclear arms deal between the US and Russia, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), expired on February 5, pushing fears about a possible global arms race.

DiNanno's allegations suggested that China's actions are a clear breach of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which bans explosive nuclear tests. 

Further details are awaited.