On October 30, local time, U.S. President Trump announced via social media mail that he had ordered the U.S. military to immediately resume nuclear weapons tests, claiming that ¡°there was no other choice¡± due to ¡°other country¡¯s nuclear test programs,¡± and also referring to China¡¯s U.S. Russian nuclear weapons number ranking, saying China could catch up with the U.S. level in five years.

This matter has aroused widespread attention and concern in the international community. The British "Guardian" pointed out that the move comes at a time when the competition for strategic weapons between Russia and the United States is intensifying. Russia has just recently announced the successful tests of the "Haiyan" nuclear-powered cruise missile and the "Poseidon" nuclear torpedo. The US statement may further intensify the situation. Opposition voices also emerged in the United States. Democratic Congressman Dana Titus of Nevada made it clear that she would pass legislation to prevent the resumption of nuclear testing, fearing that this move would reignite an arms race among major powers.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiangkun responded at a routine press conference on October 30, stressing that China hopes that the United States will earnestly abide by its obligations under the Treaty on Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban and its commitments to suspend nuclear tests, safeguard the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation system with practical actions, and maintain global strategic balance and stability.

The analysis pointed out that the Trump administration released the nuclear test signal at this time, and there are multiple strategic considerations behind it: both China and the U.S. tried to grab the negotiation code through "hard deterrence" before the Busan talks, and also to show the muscle to Russia, and to transmit the strong signal to domestic voters. But the nuclear test will not only cause environmental damage and health risks, but more likely to push nuclear deterrence from "paper laying" to "real war tool", increasing the risk of misjudgment and confrontation spiral.