[News from CAEA] From December 2 to 3, 2003, the Fourth Ministerial Level Meeting of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia was held in Okinawa, Japan. Ministers and over 50 government officials and experts from nuclear administration departments of 9 member countries, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippine, Indonesia and Thailand, presented at the meeting. Zhang Huazhu, Chairman of China Atomic Energy Authority, led Chinese delegation to the meeting and gave a speech.

The meeting reviewed the activities and achievements of FNCA in the last year, and exchanged information on policies of nuclear energy development of the member countries and ideas on the development strategy of nuclear energy and the direction of cooperation in the future in Asia. It also held discussions on subjects including the influence of nuclear technology application on the development of social economy, sustainable development and nuclear energy, and the development strategy of human resource.

The meeting reached an agreement on the role and potentiality of nuclear energy and technology. The member countries generally considered that the application of nuclear energy and technology would play a positive role in the development of social economy, and make positive contribution to economic growth, energy supply and environmental protection, in result to create good environment and conditions for the development and cooperation of nuclear energy and technology in this area. (Li Xiang)