BEIJING, February 24. /TASS/. Chinese authorities consider the US State Department's allegations that China has conducted nuclear tests in recent years to be completely baseless, China's Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs Shen Jian stated on Tuesday.

"The United States' accusations that China is conducting nuclear tests are completely groundless," China Central Television quoted Shen Jian during his speech at a session of the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

He emphasized that Beijing firmly supports the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Shen Jian noted that Washington should honor its commitments regarding a moratorium on such activities and "uphold the global consensus" on this matter.

According to him, these accusations by the United States against China are "merely a pretext for resuming its own nuclear tests" by the American side.

Earlier, US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability Christopher Ford alleged that Russia and China had conducted low-yield nuclear tests in recent years. He claimed that one such test occurred in China on June 22, 2020, at a site near Lake Lop Nor in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (northwestern China).