[CAEA News] Zhang Huazhu, Chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority, met the US Congressional Delegation headed by Congressman David Hobson on 4 April 2004 in Beijing. The two sides exchanged views on nuclear energy cooperation. The US side expressed the willingness to strengthen cooperation with China on peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

In the retrospection of the bilateral cooperation, Zhang Huazhu mentioned that the Agreement signed in 1985 between the Chinese and American Governments on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy took effect in 1998, and the related departments of the two countries singed the Agreement on Cooperation Concerning of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technologies in the same year. In 2003, the two sides exchanged diplomatic notes on government assurance for nuclear technology transfer, and CAEA and DOE signed the Letter of Intent on Government Assurance for Nuclear Technology Transfer. The two organizations signed the Statement of Intent on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, Non-Proliferation and Counter-Terrorism in January 2004. Those agreements and statement laid down the legal basis for the two countries’ cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy and removed all obstacles in the way of cooperation.

Two working group meetings have been held between the two sides under the framework of the agreements, in which experts made in-depth discussion on detailed and substantial cooperation.

According to Congressman Hobson, Chairman of the Committee of Development of Energy and Water of the US Congress, the DOE, DOC and NRC are positive to nuclear energy cooperation with China, and the Congress supports nuclear power technology export to China. The bilateral nuclear energy cooperation shall move on and the two sides shall grasp the opportunity to keep the momentum.

Mr. Zhang Huazhu made a brief introduction on the status quo of China’s nuclear power and the prospect of its future development. China’s future nuclear power construction will have international cooperation based on the principle of “China playing the major role”. International partners will be selected according to technology, cost and technology transfer conditions.