China Detonates Its First Atomic Weapon
On October 16, 1964, the People's Republic of China conducted its first successful atomic bomb test, making it the fifth nation globally to develop nuclear weapons. China's nuclear weapons program began in the early 1950s with significant support from the Soviet Union, which provided assistance in exchange for uranium. However, as Sino-Soviet relations deteriorated by the late 1950s, Soviet aid was withdrawn in 1960, compelling China to continue its nuclear development independently. The inaugural detonation, which occurred at the Lop Nur test site, produced an explosion equivalent to approximately 25 kilotons. Following this milestone, China achieved further advancements in its nuclear capabilities, including the launch of its first nuclear missile in 1966 and the successful detonation of a hydrogen bomb in 1967. By the early 21st century, China's nuclear arsenal was estimated to range from several hundred to several thousand weapons, positioning it as the third-largest nuclear power after the United States and Russia. While China has adopted a "no first use" policy regarding nuclear weapons, it maintains a diverse array of nuclear devices for potential military applications, including both strategic and tactical weapons.
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China Detonates Its First Atomic Weapon
China Detonates Its First Atomic Weapon
On October 16, 1964, the People's Republic of China successfully detonated its first atomic bomb, thereby becoming the fifth country in the world to possess nuclear weapons.
China began its nuclear weapons program in the early 1950s, when it entered into several secret agreements with the Soviet Union to trade uranium mined in China for Soviet assistance in developing a Chinese atomic bomb. The Soviet assistance was substantial until the late 1950s when Sino-Soviet relations began to sour, and ended in 1960 with the withdrawal of Soviet advisors. Nevertheless, the Chinese pressed forward, although it took them some four years to achieve success. Their first atomic device, detonated at Lon Nor on October 16, 1964, resulted in an explosion of approximately 25 kilotons.
Following that event came other achievements, such as the launch of the first Chinese nuclear missile on October 25, 1966, and the successful detonation of the first Chinese hydrogen bomb on June 14, 1967. As of the writing of this book in the early 21st century, the exact extent of China's nuclear arsenal is unknown; it may range from several hundred to several thousand devices, but China is generally considered to be the world's third largest nuclear power after the United States and Russia (which inherited most of the Soviet arsenal after the Soviet Union broke up in 1991). Although the Chinese have pledged to observe a “no first use” policy, they are known to have a wide variety of devices for potential military uses, ranging from bombs and missiles capable of destroying whole cities to tactical battlefield weapons, such as nuclear land mines and artillery shells.