U.S. set to resume underground nuclear tests

The United States is reportedly preparing to resume underground nuclear tests, a move confirmed by a senior State Department official this week. This significant policy shift comes in direct response to escalating concerns over alleged covert nuclear testing activities by both China and Russia, breaking a decades-long informal moratorium by the U.S. This decision marks a critical turning point in global arms control, potentially igniting a new arms race and severely undermining the international non-proliferation regime. The 'why' behind this escalation is a deteriorating strategic stability between major nuclear powers, with Washington signaling that it can no longer tolerate perceived clandestine advancements by its rivals without reciprocal action, thereby increasing the risk of miscalculation and a more overt nuclear weapons competition.