ארה"ב: סין ביצעה ניסוי גרעיני סודי בשנת 2020, הסתירה את המידע מהעולם באמצעות שיבוש מערכות הניטור

Nuclear power threats facing the U.S. back in the spotlight. The U.S. says China conducted a secret nuclear test in 2020. That says Washington calls for a new nuclear arms control treaty involving both China and Russia after the previous one expired. Here's Thomas DiNano, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control, speaking in Geneva Friday. I can reveal that the U.S. government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons. DiNano says the Chinese military hid their testing by decreasing the effectiveness of scientific monitoring. U.S.'s treaty with Russia to curb nuclear arms expired Thursday. For the first time since the 70s, there's no cap on the number of nuclear weapons the U.S. and Russia can deploy. Now President Trump is pushing for a new treaty that must also include China. It comes as the U.S. is facing growing threats, not from just one, but two nuclear powers. China remains on track to have over 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. And Russia is supporting this buildup by helping China develop the weapons-grade fissile material necessary for its expansion. China's ambassador on disarmament says his country would not participate in new negotiations at this stage with the U.S. and Russia. Russia's foreign minister said the country prefers dialogue with the U.S., but it's also ready for any scenario. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted Friday that Russia and China should not expect the U.S. to stand still while they expand their nuclear forces, added that the U.S. would maintain a modernized nuclear deterrent. Last year, President Trump ordered the War Department to begin testing nuclear weapons. Notably, the order came less than an hour before his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. Trump said China, Russia and North Korea have been testing nuclear weapons, and he doesn't want to be the only country that doesn't test. Four months ago, The Washington Post reported China has been rapidly expanding a historic nuclear test site. According to satellite images, that site is where Beijing tested its first atomic bomb in the 60s.