(November 4, 1994) So China "defied" the one sided nuclear testing moratoria of the other nuclear powers by conducting a nu-clear test at the Lop Nor test site. The underground nuclear explosion took place at 0325 GMT, October 7, 1994. The nuclear device was exploded approximately 265 km south-east of Urumqi, the largest city in Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Estimates indicate a yield at a range of 40-l50kt.
(421.4173) WISE Amsterdam - China's current testing programme is probably meant to develop 2 new missile systems, one for deployment in the late l990s, and one around 2010. The latter may carry several warheads. China is also developing a new sea-launched ballistic missile (JL-2) for deployment on their second gene-ration strategic nuclear-powered submarine.
The chief design laboratory for Chinese nuclear weapons is the Ninth Academy at Mianyang (Sichuan) or the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP). Plutonium production for weapons purposes, which has taken place at two reactors, in Jiuquan (Gansu) and Guangyuan (Sichuan), reportedly ceased in 1991. However a new plutonium facility is scheduled to open in the mid-1990s.
Although Beijing favors a complete ban on all nuclear arms and participates in the talks on a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, China plans to conduct 'a few more" nuclear tests before joining the international moratorium on testing. According to the Chinese arms negotiator China does not want to see the nuclear weapons gap between China and other nuclear powers "frozen forever".
Meanwhile the US secretary of defense, William Perry, visited Beijing on October 17 and 18. And guess what, the US offered to help China with a number of conversion projects and... offers China computer technology to simulate nuclear tests. That is how the US sees a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the Non-Proliferation Treaty: no more explosions but clean computers to calculate an other nuclear weapon and maintain the "balance" of deterrence. By supplying their deadly technology to a select club of nuclear powers they are sure to protect their interests. By supplying the computer technology the US would violate it's own sanctions on delivering military technology to China.
Sources:
- Vertic
- De Volkskrant (NL), 18 & 19 October 1994
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