81.   China conducted an underground nuclear test Saturday, defying a global moratorium on such blasts.

82.   China conducts its underground nuclear tests in the desert of Lop Nor in Xinjiang, in its far northwest.

83.   China tested again in August, and earlier this month France staged the first of eight underground tests to be held at their Muroroa atoll test site.

84.   Chirac announced last June that France would conduct up to eight underground tests, then stop for good and sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

85.   Chirac has repeatedly stated that France has no plans to halt the underground nuclear tests.

86.   Chirac says France needs the underground tests to update its nuclear arsenal and develop technology to simulate future computer tests.

87.   China conducted an underground nuclear test Monday, just days after the United Nations ended talks on indefinitely extending the international treaty to prevent the spread of atomic weapons.

88.   China conducted an underground nuclear test Saturday, just two days after it agreed to include non-military explosions in a nuclear test ban treaty now under negotiation in Geneva.

89.   China has broken the moratorium, but in Washington on Friday, an aide to President Clinton said the White House blocked military plans to conduct new underground tests.

90.   China set off an underground nuclear test blast.