China Affirms Testing Suspension After Trump’s ‘Baseless’ Claims

China on Monday affirmed its commitment to its suspension of nuclear testing, categorically denying “baseless” claims from Donald Trump that it was conducting tests in secret. The former U.S. president had used the allegations to order a resumption of U.S. testing.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry stated that Beijing has always “upheld a self-defence nuclear strategy.” The statement emphasized that China is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
Trump made the explosive claims during a ‘60 minutes’ program. “Russia’s testing, and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it,” he said, adding that he didn’t “want to be the only country that doesn’t test.”
The former president had already given the order via a social media post, instructing the “Department of War” to begin testing “on an equal basis.” He also boasted that the U.S. arsenal was the world’s largest and had been fully renovated.
Trump’s order has caused confusion over its scope, as the U.S. has not conducted a nuclear explosion since 1992. The move also follows recent Russian tests of a new nuclear-powered missile.