China issues white paper on nuclear safety

China stated its stance on developing nuclear energy as an established policy in its first white paper on nuclear safety released on Tuesday, vowing to strengthen international cooperation and build a community of shared future for nuclear safety.

View of the Tianwan nuclear power plant Unit 4 in Lianyungang city, east China's Jiangsu province, October 27, 2018. [File Photo: IC]

Titled "Nuclear Safety in China," the white paper was released by the State Council Information Office to elaborate on China's basic principles and policies in the field, share the concepts and practices of regulation and clarify its determination to promote global nuclear safety governance and the actions it has taken to achieve this.

ESTABLISHED POLICY

Over the past 70 years, China's nuclear industry has grown from scratch, developed steadily and formed a complete system, which has made an important contribution to ensuring energy security, protecting the environment, improving people's living standards and promoting high-quality economic development, said the white paper.

"Developing nuclear power is one of China's established policies," Liu Hua, director of the National Nuclear Safety Administration, told a press conference.

According to Liu, China must see the development of clean and efficient energy to adjust the country's coal-based energy structure.

Nuclear energy is an important option for a country to secure power safety and energy diversity, besides thermal power, hydropower and new energy, said Liu.

China is developing nuclear power based on safety, as the carbon-free energy source is of great strategic importance to coping with global climate change, according to Liu.

GOOD SAFETY RECORD

"China has always regarded nuclear safety as an important national responsibility, and integrated it into the entire process of nuclear energy development and utilization," said the white paper.

China has maintained a good nuclear safety record for a long time and its safety level in the use of nuclear technology continues to improve, according to Liu.

China's control on nuclear material is strong, and public health and environmental safety are fully guaranteed, he added.

While developing the industry in line with the latest safety standards, the country has pursued an innovation-driven path of nuclear safety.

BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF SHARED FUTURE

As an important advocate, promoter and participant in building a fair, collaborative and mutually beneficial international nuclear safety system, China has done a good job in ensuring its own nuclear safety, fulfilled its international obligations, and promoted bilateral and multilateral cooperation on nuclear safety, said the white paper.

China has actively promoted the peaceful use of nuclear energy for the benefit of all humanity and contributed its wisdom and strength to global nuclear safety governance, according to the document.

Upholding the central role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in international nuclear cooperation, China has made continuous contributions to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund, with an aim to enhance the nuclear safety capacity of countries in Asia, Liu said.

Through its National Research and Development Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety Regulation, China has continued to help developing countries train nuclear safety personnel and carry out technical drills, lending support to their efforts to enhance their regulatory capacity and providing more public goods for improving global nuclear safety.

While it is the common aspiration of all countries to peacefully utilize nuclear energy, it should also be a common responsibility of all countries to maintain nuclear safety, Liu said.