World · 18 February 2026
US intensifies claims China hid nuclear test, Beijing denies allegations
A senior US official has outlined fresh accusations that China carried out a clandestine underground nuclear explosion in June 2020, citing seismic readings deemed inconsistent with natural causes, according to Washington Post reporting. The claim, made amid efforts to justify a possible US return to weapons testing, has been met with strong denials from Beijing, which says the accusations are unfounded. International monitoring bodies state available data is too limited to confirm a nuclear detonation.
Reported by The Washington Post · How we write briefs