Explosions in deep mines can accelerate the development of new types of nuclear weapons

A new vertical shaft has appeared in northwestern China, at the Lobnor Lake test site in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which a drilling rig has drilled to a depth of at least half a kilometer. 

According to The New York Times, this indicates that China may be preparing to test a new generation of nuclear weapons, which could increase the effectiveness of its missile forces.

Experts, including former National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency analyst Renny Babiarz, believe that this evidence may indicate the danger of China resuming nuclear tests. Observations of the new vertical shaft drilled by the drilling rig were made using satellite images.

The analyst argues that explosions in deep mines may indicate the development and improvement of new types of nuclear weapons for China's rapidly expanding arsenal. These actions by China, along with similar actions by other nuclear powers, could violate the global ban on nuclear testing that was introduced in 1996. Importantly, this comes at a sensitive time in US-China relations, when President Joe Biden is trying to stabilize tense relations and reach an agreement with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.