China dedicated to boosting nuclear security: CNNC chief
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E-mail Xinhua, March 26, 2014
China is committed to boosting nuclear security with systematic efforts and will continue active engagement in international cooperation, said Sun Qin, chairman of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), or the country's leading nuclear plant operator, in an interview with Xinhua Tuesday.
The interview was conducted as the Nuclear Security Summit was held in The Hague with the participation of leaders from more than 50 countries and international organizations. The third such event since 2010, the summit was aimed at preventing nuclear terrorism around the globe.
"The past years have seen a rapid improvement of China's comprehensive capabilities in ensuring nuclear security within its borders," Sun said.
Sun said his company over the years has stepped up efforts in nuclear material accounting in line with international standards, and continued to strengthen physical protection of nuclear material and facilities.
Besides applying new physical protection standards to any new nuclear power project, the CNNC has continued to conduct overhauls over the physical protection level at its old facilities, followed by remodeling and consolidation.
Beyond investing "a lot" in infrastructure and hardware, the CNNC also has focused more on nuclear security mechanism and system building in a comprehensive manner that combines the serious implementation of protection arrangements, the advances of nuclear technological research, and the collection of feedbacks from industries.
He said China is a responsible nation and China attaches much weight to nuclear security as nuclear material within its borders is strictly regulated and controlled and relevant international conventions are abode by.
"China is dedicated to a national nuclear security system that honors international standards and conventions and also tallies its own actual conditions," the CNNC chief said.
Sun said China is eager to learn from others and also willing to offer assistance for boosting nuclear security around the globe as "nuclear security is a real global matter."
He called the China-U.S. Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security, which are being built in the suburb of Beijing, is a "good example" in terms of international cooperation in nuclear security.
Following its expected completion of construction in 2015, the center will be the biggest nuclear security international exchange, training and demonstration center in the Asia-Pacific Region, according to officials.
Moreover, Sun said the CNNC has been active in international research cooperation on the "down-blending" of highly enriched uranium to low enriched uranium in civilian nuclear uses, an effort that has been promoted by the nuclear security summit to minimize the use of dangerous material for preventing nuclear terrorism.
