21.   But any society that starves its soldiers and nuclear engineers is inviting instability and a hemorrhage of nuclear secrets and materials.

22.   But the news of the disappearance of two computer hard drives containing nuclear secrets from a vault at Los Alamos forced quick action.

23.   By then, analysts had concluded that the document indeed included U.S. nuclear secrets, officials say.

24.   China has consistently denied any theft of nuclear secrets.

25.   China has denied allegations that it has stolen U.S. nuclear secrets, and insists that its weapons are based on its own research and development program.

26.   China also has denied that it stole U.S. nuclear secrets.

27.   Chinese officials have said they did not pilfer American nuclear secrets, but have not discussed the specifics of the case.

28.   Chinese officials have consistently denied that China stole American nuclear secrets.

29.   Chinese officials have denied stealing nuclear secrets.

30.   China has denied stealing nuclear secrets from the United States.