China initiated Project 596, the codename for its nuclear weapons program, marking the formal start of an indigenous effort to develop nuclear explosives amid Cold War security pressures.
China conducted its first nuclear weapons test (a fission device) at the Lop Nur test site, becoming the world’s fifth nuclear-armed state.
China carried out its first integrated test of a nuclear warhead delivered by a ballistic missile (commonly described as the DF-2A), demonstrating an operational nuclear delivery capability beyond aircraft delivery.
China tested its first full-scale thermonuclear weapon, a major technical leap that rapidly expanded the potential yield and sophistication of its nuclear arsenal.
China began conducting underground nuclear tests, reflecting global pressure to reduce radioactive fallout from atmospheric testing and aligning with broader international trends in test practices.
China placed Dong Fang Hong 1 into orbit, a landmark in strategic science and technology development closely linked to the state’s broader defense-industrial and nuclear-era modernization agenda.
The PLA Navy commissioned its first nuclear-powered attack submarine (Type 091 / Changzheng 1), extending nuclear technology into naval propulsion and strengthening second-strike survivability foundations.
China began building Qinshan-1, the first nuclear power plant in mainland China and a flagship for developing domestic design, construction, and operational capabilities in civilian nuclear energy.
Construction started on Daya Bay (Unit 1), a major coastal nuclear power project linked to power supply for southern China and (via commercial arrangements) Hong Kong, and featuring significant international technology inputs.
China signed a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency for the application of safeguards in China (published as INFCIRC/369), a key step in formalizing international verification arrangements for parts of its civilian nuclear program.
Qinshan-1 connected to the electricity grid, demonstrating the practical transition from construction to operation and marking a milestone in China’s nuclear-generated electricity supply.
China carried out what has been widely reported as its largest underground nuclear test (often estimated around one megaton) at the Lop Nur test area, highlighting continued weapons development even as global pressure for test bans increased.
Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Energy Development in the PRC (1955–1992)
