[Wen/Observer Network Chen Sijia] On October 30 local time, US President Trump announced on his own social platform "Truth Social" that he had ordered the US military to immediately restart nuclear tests. The Washington Post pointed out that the last nuclear test in the United States was conducted in 1992, 33 years ago. Although Trump did not disclose any details, his order could have a profound impact on the international situation.
Trump wrote during his visit to South Korea, claiming that the U.S. has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, Russia’s second-largest nuclear arsenal, and China’s third-largest nuclear arsenal “can catch up in five years.” he wrote: “As other countries are conducting nuclear tests, I have instructed the Pentagon to test our nuclear weapons on a peer-to-peer basis, this process will start immediately.”
Regarding Trump's statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference on the 30th that China hopes that the United States will earnestly abide by its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and its commitment to suspend nuclear tests, and take practical actions to safeguard the international nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation system, and maintain global strategic balance and stability.
Later, on Trump's way back to the United States on Air Force One, he said that the US military needs to conduct nuclear tests to ensure that the United States does not lag behind other competitors. He revealed that the site of the nuclear test will be determined at a later date.
When asked whether the restart of nuclear tests in the United States would lead to an increase in global security risks, Trump responded that the nuclear arsenal of the United States was "well controlled" and he would "welcome the denuclearization process". He said that the United States is discussing issues related to "denuclearization" with Russia.
In February 2020, the United States tested an intercontinental ballistic missile "Militia-3". Vision of China
The last nuclear test in the United States was conducted in 1992, 33 years ago. Reuters said that most nuclear-armed states stopped nuclear testing in the 1990s. The last nuclear test of the Soviet Union was conducted in 1990. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia did not conduct another nuclear test. China conducted its last nuclear test in 1996.
Last week, Russia conducted strategic nuclear forces exercises and test-fired intercontinental ballistic missiles and air-launched cruise missiles, but did not conduct nuclear tests.
According to UN statistics, from the first atomic bomb explosion in 1945 to the passing of the Treaty on the Comprehensive Prohibition of Nuclear Tests in 1996, more than 2,000 nuclear tests have been carried out worldwide, including 1,032 nuclear tests carried out by the United States and 715 nuclear tests carried out by the Soviet Union.
Many are concerned that ground, underground and underwater nuclear tests have a serious impact on human health and the environment.Some advocates also believe that limiting nuclear tests can help ease international tensions.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty prohibits all states parties from conducting nuclear explosions anywhere. The United States signed the treaty in 1996, but has not ratified it so far. Russia signed the treaty in 1996 and ratified it in 2000, but Russian President Vladimir Putin formally withdrew the standards for the treaty in 2023, bringing Russia and the United States in line.
The number of nuclear warheads owned by various countries is confidential, but analysts and arms control groups generally estimate that the United States and Russia both have more than 5000 nuclear warheads in stockpiles.
Daryl Kimball, director of the U.S. Arms Control Association, said it would take at least 36 months for the U.S. to resume its underground closed nuclear test at the former Nevada nuclear test site, but he noted that “the U.S. has no technical, military or political reason to resume its nuclear test.”
Kimboor warned that Trump's statement could lead to a "chain reaction" that would force U.S. competitors to act as well, thus undermining the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.Putin said on October 2 that if another nuclear power carries out a nuclear test, Russia would also carry out a nuclear test.