US President Donald Trump has caused a stir with claims that Russia and China have been secretly conducting underground nuclear tests. In an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Trump revealed that the two countries were carrying out tests without public acknowledgment, and he hinted that the US might follow suit.
“They test way underground where people don’t know exactly what’s happening,” Trump said. He also added that North Korea and Pakistan were among the countries allegedly testing their nuclear arsenals in a similar secretive manner.
The controversial statement came after Russia announced it had tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile and an underwater drone. This fueled concerns that the nuclear arms race was intensifying. Trump’s statement raised questions about the future of global nuclear security, especially with the US having signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996.
Responding to these claims, China’s foreign ministry denied the allegations, stating that it adhered to a self-defence nuclear strategy and upheld its commitment to suspending nuclear tests. Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, stressed that China was committed to maintaining global stability through the non-proliferation regime.
Trump’s remarks have ignited debates about the US’s nuclear policies and the potential risks of a new wave of nuclear testing. While Trump has insisted that the US would test nuclear weapons “like other countries do,” his energy secretary, Chris Wright, clarified that the tests referred to by the president were “non-critical explosions” intended to test the components of nuclear weapons, not full-scale detonations.
As the controversy unfolds, the world watches to see how these developments will affect international relations and the fragile balance of nuclear power.
AFP
