China Records No Increase of Radiation Level After North Korea's Nuke Test

Chinese experts have not recordered any increase in background radiation level following North Korea's alleged nuclear weapon test, Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection said in a statement Wednesday.

BEIJING (Sputnik) — On January 6, Pyongyang claimed it had carried out a hydrogen bomb test. The same day, the Chinese Environment Ministry said the test had no impact on the environment in China’s northeast bordering North Korea so far.

"As of 12:00 local time [4:00 GMT] January 13, the monitoring data show that rates of gamma radiation in the air are within the norms, no artificial radionuclides were detected in the air, radiation situation is normal," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, Pyongyang's nuclear tests will not affect environment or China's citizens.

North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and conducted nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013, having earlier withdrawn from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that it ratified in 1985.