China's Nuclear Weapons Program

Question 1

Reasons for developing a NP

Answer 1

1955: geopolitical context (USA and China had friction in early 1950s due to Korean War and nuclear threats), USA and China tensions due to conflict in Taiwan and nuclear threats

Question 2

Withdrawal of Soviet Assistance

Answer 2

1958: USSR helped the PRC develop its NP but relations between Khruschev and Mao Zedong started to deteriorate, the signing of the LTBT meant that USSR couldn’t share info anymore, China decided to develop an independent NP

Question 3

Main Testing Site

Answer 3

1964-66: Lop Nur in the Xinjiang Uyghur region, 45 tests

Question 4

First Chinese Nuclear Test

Answer 4

Oct 16, 1964: 22 kilotons, justified as a way for China to break the nuclear monopoly and was under compulsion to do so due to threats from USA, intended to develop weapons for defence, deterrence, and non-proliferation

Question 5

First Chinese Thermonuclear Test

Answer 5

Jun 17, 1957

Question 6

Health and Environmental Effects

Answer 6

personnel and military were exposed, inhabitants of and near Lop Sur experienced exposure, health issues, etc.

Question 7

Student Protests

Answer 7

Dec 1985: college students organized a peaceful protest march, gov’t responded by downplaying the effects of radioactivity and wasn’t affected by them, decides to conduct more tests

Question 8

Last Test in Lop Nur

Answer 8

July 1986

Question 9

CTBT and China

Answer 9

Aug 24, 1996: China signed the CTBT but did not ratify

Question 10

Enver Tohti

Answer 10

witnessed the nuclear tests as a young student, came back to Xinjiang in 1998 with B filmmakers to produce a documentary that investigated health conditions

Question 11

Compensation

Answer 11

China did provide some compensation to veterans in 2008 but has yet to acknowledge the effects on the ppl