In particular, the U.S. side has recorded an increase in works at the Lobnor test site in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The United States suspects China of secretly testing low-power nuclear charges in violation of its Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) obligations. The Wall Street Journal of the United States reported on Wednesday in its electronic version that this data is contained in a classified annex to its annual report, which will be published later by the United States Department of State.
As the newspaper explains, the document contains no evidence that Beijing is not fulfilling its promises to comply with the CTBT. However, the U.S. side lists a number of aspects that are of concern to Washington, including the increased work at the Lobnor test site in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwestern China. In addition, the U.S. claims that in recent years China has in some cases stopped transmitting data from special stations on its territory designed to monitor changes in the radiation background and seismic activity.
The newspaper has sought clarification from the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, which is carrying out the necessary activities to facilitate the entry into force of the CTBT and the establishment of a verification mechanism by the time of its launch. The CTBT Preparatory Commission stated that since September 2019, the transmission of the above-mentioned data from China has been virtually uninterrupted.
Individual cases recorded earlier in this period took place as agreed between Beijing and the CTBT. “Data transmission from all certified stations was interrupted in 2018 after the testing, evaluation and certification process was completed. Negotiations with Chinese station operators on post-certification contracts were completed in August 2019, after which data transmission from all five stations was resumed,” the newspaper quotes the official representative of the preparatory commission.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was approved by the UN General Assembly on September 24, 1996. It bans nuclear charge test explosions, as well as nuclear explosions for peaceful purposes. The ban applies to all spheres (in the atmosphere, in space, underwater and underground) and is absolute and comprehensive. The treaty has now been ratified by 166 states, but it has not entered into force as the US, China, Egypt, Israel and Iran have not ratified it and India, Pakistan and DPRK have not signed it.