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| (#45) 29 July 1996 | 1-5 kT | Underground | -- | China's 45th and most recent test |
| (#44) 8 June 1996 | 20-80 kT | Underground | -- | Reported detonation of two warheads |
| (#43) 17 August 1995 | 60-80 kT | Underground | -- | Prompted the Japanese Diet (legislativebody) to pass a resolution protesting China's testing; later that month, Japan froze government grants for the remainder of 1995 |
| (#42) 15 May 1995 | 95 kT | Underground | -- | Prompted Japan to suspend the grant portion of its foreign aid program to China |
| (#41) 7 October 1994 | 40-50 kT | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#40) 10 June1994 | 40-50 kT | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#39) 5 October 1993 | 40-80 kT | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#38) 25 September 1992 | 1-20 kT (About 8 kT) | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#37) 21 May 1992 | 660 kT-1 MT (650 kT) | Underground | -- | China's largest underground test |
| (#36) 16 August 1990 | 50-200 kT (189 kT) | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#35) 26 May 1990 | 15-65 kT (11.5 kT) | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#34) 29 September 1988 | 1-20 kT (2.5 kT) | Underground | -- | Reported to be a 1-5 kT enhanced radiation weapon ("neutron bomb") test |
| (#33) 5 June 1987 | Unknown yield (250 kT) | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#32) 19 December 1984 | 5-50 kT (1.3 kT) | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#31) 3 October 1984 | 15-70 kT (9.1 kT) | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#30) 6 October 1983 | 20-100 kT (14.9 kT) | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#29) 4 May 1983 | Unknown yield (About 1 kT) | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#28) 5 October 1982 | 3-15 kT | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#27) 16 October 1980 | 200 kT-1 MT | Atmospheric | -- | The last atmospheric nuclear explosion by China or any country |
| (#26) 13 September 1979 | Unknown yield | Underground | -- | -- |
| (#25) 14 December 1978 | Below 20 kT | Atmospheric | -- | Fission |
| (#24) 14 October 1978 | Below 20 kT (3.4 kT) | Underground | Shaft method | China's first shaft explosion |
| (#23)15 March 1978 | 6-20 kT | Atmospheric | -- | Fission |
| (#22) 17 September 1977 | Below 20 kT | Atmospheric | -- | Fission |
| (#21) 17 November 1976 | About 4 MT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Thermonuclear; Largest Chinese test |
| (#20) 17 October 1976 | 10-20 kT (2.6 kT) | Underground | -- | Fission |
| (#19) 26 September 1976 | 200 kT | Atmospheric | -- | Fission; Partial failure of fusion; "special weapon" |
| (#18) 23 January 1976 | Below 20 kT | Atmospheric | -- | Fission |
| (#17) 27 October 1975 | Below 10 kT (2.5 kT) | Underground | -- | Fission |
| (#16) 17 June 1974 | 200 kT-1 MT | Atmospheric | -- | Thermonuclear |
| (#15) 27 June 1973 | 2-3 MT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Thermonuclear |
| (#14) 18 March 1972 | 100-200 kT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Possibly trigger device, containing Pu, for thermonuclear warhead |
| (#13) 7 January 1972 | 8-20 kT | Atmospheric | Air (Q-5 bomber) | Fission; Possibly containing Pu |
| (#12) 18 November 1971 | 15-20 kT | Atmospheric | Ground (tower-mounted) | Fission; Possibly containing Pu |
| (#11) 14 October 1970 | 3-3.4 MT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Thermonuclear |
| (#10) 29 September 1969 | About 3 MT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Thermonuclear |
| (#9) 23 September 1969 | 20-25 kT (19.2 kT) | Underground | Tunnel method | Fission ; China's first underground test |
| (#8) 27 December 1968 | 3 MT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Thermonuclear device; China's first test using plutonium (U235, with some Pu) |
| (#7) 24 December 1967 | 15-25 kT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Fission (U235, U238, and Li-6) |
| (#6) 17 June 1967 | 3-3.3 MT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | China's first full-yield multi-stage thermonuclear test (U235) |
| (#5) 28 December 1966 | 122 kT/300-500 kT | Atmospheric | Ground (tower-mounted) | Boosted fission (U235); Test used to confirm the design principles of a two-stage device |
| (#4) 27 October 1966 | 12-30 kT | Atmospheric | DF-2 (CSS-1) MRBM | Fission (U235) |
| (#3) 9 May 1966 | 200-300 kT/ | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Boosted fission (U235); China's first test of a boosted fission device (using Lithium-6) |
| (#2) 14 May 1965 | 20-40 kT | Atmospheric | Air (H-6 bomber) | Fission (U235); China's first air-drop explosion by aircraft |
| (#1) 16 October 1964 | 20-22 kT | Atmospheric | Ground (tower-mounted) | Fission (U235); China's first nuclear explosion, named "Device 596," representing the year and month in which the Soviets refused to provide China with a prototype device (June 1959) |