China will spare no efforts to fulfill its international obligations on nuclear non-proliferation and enhance international cooperation in peaceful utilization of nuclear energy, said Jin Zhuanglong, deputy director of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND).

 

Jin told a COSTIND meeting on international cooperation held on Monday that China will promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation and enhance its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, in the nuclear field during the Eleventh-Five Year Plan period (2006-2010).

 

Jin said China will introduce and absorb advanced technologies pertaining to large pressurized-water reactor nuclear power plan, spent fuel commercialized reprocessing facility, high temperature gas cool reactor, fast reactor, nuclear desalination, uranium mining and nuclear security, and take an active part in the international research of nuclear fusion reactor and the forth-generation nuclear energy.

 

China will also strengthen nuclear export control by establishing a nuclear exporters' qualification scrutiny system.

 

Jin said China will set up a training center of nuclear safeguards supervision and nuclear security in the Asia-Pacific region and develop a domestic system for obligations fulfillment by building experts and supporting teams.

 

In international cooperation of peaceful utilization of nuclear energy, China has signed 70 international treaties and inter-department agreements in total, said Jin.

 

China entered the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2004, a major step for the country to join international non-proliferation efforts.

 

Jin said China has continued to deepen nuclear cooperation with Russia, and established regular meeting mechanisms at the ministerial level and the multi-level working mechanisms with France, South Korea and Japan respectively.

 

The first phase of the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant in Pakistan, a China-Pakistan cooperative project, has been completed and put into operation as scheduled, and the second phase is under construction.

 

The COSTIND is mainly responsible for researching and drafting guidelines, policies and laws concerning science, technology and industry for national defense, organizing and managing quality, safety, measurement, standards, statistics and records in the area of defense-related science, technology and industry.

 

The COSTIND is also responsible for undertaking the organization and management of all international cooperation and exchanges and overseeing matters relating to bilateral and multilateral international cooperation in the area of science, technology and industry for national defense.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2006)