By Gao Jing

The State Council Information Office released "Nuclear Safety in China" white paper on Tuesday. Liu Hua, vice minister of Ecology and Environment and director of the National Nuclear Safety Administration, attended the press conference, interpreting the main contents of the white paper, and responding to public concerns about related issues.

The full text of the white paper is about 11,000 words and consists of preface, body and concluding remark, published in eight languages including Chinese, English, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Arabic and Japanese. As the first nuclear safety white paper published by the Chinese government, it comprehensively introduces the development history of China's nuclear safety cause, expounds on the basic principles and policy proposals of China's nuclear safety, shares the concepts and practices of China's nuclear safety supervision, and clarifies the determination and actions of China in advancing the global nuclear safety governance process.

China’s operation of nuclear facilities maintains good safety record

China has always regarded nuclear safety as an important national responsibility, and has developed nuclear energy and nuclear technology while ensuring safety, said Liu Hua.

According to him, by the end of last June, there are 47 operating nuclear power facilities, 19 in-service civil research reactors and critical devices, 18 nuclear fuel cycle facilities, and two low- and intermediate-level waste disposal sites on the Chinese mainland. The operation of these facilities has maintained a good safety record, especially for nuclear power plants, where there have been no an incidents or accidents at or above level II of the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). China's nuclear safety level has remained at the forefront of the world, added Liu.

Nuclear energy cooperation is mutually beneficial

Liu stated that China firmly opposes the harming of the interests of all countries including China through the US’ unilateralism and protectionist policies. He hopes that the US will stop the wrong practices and solve problems through equal consultation. China-US nuclear energy cooperation is mutually beneficial. Both China and the US are nuclear powers and have established a complete nuclear industry system. Four AP1000 nuclear power units have been successfully built, commissioned and operated through substantial nuclear energy cooperation in China, which benefited companies of both countries.

Liu mentioned that the cooperation between China and the US in nuclear safety has achieved positive results in the past 35 years. Two countries have promoted the improvement of the nuclear safety level through mutually beneficial cooperation. In addition to that, China also carried out fruitful nuclear energy cooperation with France and Russia, among which some major projects including nuclear power plants and spent fuel reprocessing plants have achieved substantial progress. 

China is committed to promoting comprehensive and continuous improvement of global nuclear safety

Liu introduced that China has constantly improved the national nuclear safety system, actively promoted international nuclear safety cooperation and established an international nuclear safety cooperation system. China has successively acceded to all the international conventions on nuclear safety of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations (UN), and fulfilled its obligations under such international conventions. At the same time, China supports the work of IAEA and gives full play to the role of IAEA under the multilateral system.

China is also actively involved in exchanges and cooperation. China has established close ties with the US, France, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Canada and emerging nuclear power countries of the Belt and Road Initiative, signed more than 50 nuclear safety cooperation agreements with these countries and strengthened expert exchanges, technical cooperation, and high-level visits. Relying on the National Technical R&D Base for Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision and the State Nuclear Security Technology Center, China provides a platform for developing countries to carry out nuclear safety-related training and exchange activities, helps them to improve national security and safety capabilities, and shares with them China's safety experience.