Overview
- The announcement came minutes before President Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his Asia trip.
- Trump said he instructed the “Department of War” to begin testing immediately in response to other countries’ programs.
- In a post on Truth, he asserted the United States has the largest nuclear arsenal and claimed China could reach parity within five years.
- China urged the United States to respect the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and restated its no‑first‑use policy and minimal deterrent posture.
- The statement follows renewed global nuclear activity, including Russia’s Burevestnik claim, recent U.S. Trident launches, and satellite evidence of new work at test sites in the United States, Russia, and China.