PRC Nuclear and Ballistic Missile Tests (1964–1996)

1. First PRC nuclear device detonated at Lop Nur

   Oct 16, 1964Labels: Lop Nur, PRC

   • Nuclear Archive
   • Project 596
   • Lop Nur

2. Nuclear warhead tested on a ballistic missile

   Oct 27, 1966Labels: DF-2A, Ballistic missile

   • FAS DF 2
   • Stanford Lop Nur

3. First full-scale thermonuclear (hydrogen) bomb test

   Jun 17, 1967Labels: Thermonuclear weapon, Lop Nur

   • Nuclear Archive
   • Project 639
   • Bulletin Zhang

4. First underground nuclear test at Lop Nur

   Sep 22, 1969Labels: Underground test, Lop Nur

   • IRIS 1996
   • USGS paper

5. Final atmospheric nuclear test closes above-ground era

   Oct 16, 1980Labels: Atmospheric test, PRC

   • Physics Today
   • IRIS 1996
   • UPI 1980

6. Enhanced-radiation (neutron) weapon test reported

   Dec 19, 1984Labels: Neutron weapon, Chinese researchers

   • Physics Today
   • Stanford Lop Nur

7. China accedes to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

   Mar 9, 1992Labels: NPT, China

   • ACA NPT timeline
   • UPI 1991

8. Largest reported underground test heightens pressure

   May 21, 1992Labels: Underground test, PRC

   • UPI 1992
   • USGS paper

9. Underground testing resumes after a 1992 pause

   Oct 5, 1993Labels: Underground test, Seismology

   • UPI 1993
   • Lop Nur

10. Final nuclear explosive test conducted at Lop Nur

    Jul 29, 1996Labels: Final test, Lop Nur

    • IRIS 1996
    • Physics Today
    • TIME 1996

11. China announces moratorium on nuclear testing

    Jul 30, 1996Labels: Moratorium, China

    • UPI 1996
    • Lop Nur

12. China signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

    Sep 25, 1996Labels: CTBT, China

    • PRC MFA
    • CTBT UN