In 1984, China acceded to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Established on July 29 1957, the IAEA is an independent intergovernmental organization within the UN system. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, IAEA has 130 Member States (as of December1, 1999). They work together for the IAEA's principal objectives under its Statute "to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world" and "ensure, so far as it is able, that assistance provided by it or at its request or under its supervision or control is not used in such a way as to further any military purpose".

　　Under relevant provisions concluded between the United Nations and the IAEA, it shall respect the UN charter, implement the UN resolutions and decisions, and submit reports on its activities annually to the UN General Assembly, and when appropriate, to the Security Council. The organizational framework of the IAEA includes the General Conference, Board of Governors, and Secretariat. The General Conference (GC) is composed of all its Member States; and the Board of Governors (BOD) 13 designated Member States and 22 elected Member States. Under the Board of Governors are the Administration and Budgetary Committee (ABC), and Technical Assistance and Co-operation Committee (TACC).

　　The Secretariat supervised by the Director General (DG) fulfils its duties in line with resolutions and decisions approved by the GC and BOD. It consists of the Management Dept., Technical Co-operation Dept., Nuclear Energy Dept., Nuclear Safety Dept., Nuclear Sciences and Applications Dept., and Safeguards Dept. The Secretariat has a staff of about 2000.

　　The administrative expenses of the IAEA come from the contributions of the Member States payable according to an assessment scale while technical assistance and co-operation expenses from the voluntary contributions of the Member States. Following the principles of active involvement and enhancement of co-operation, effective exchanges and co-operation are carried out between the related departments and units in China and the Agency. Incomplete statistics show that from 1985~1999, Chinese trainees sent abroad through the IAEA totaled 1850 persontime, expert services 832 persontime, an amount received from TC projects about 17.93 million US$. As far as the Qinshan NPP Phase I is concerned, training of senior technical personnel and operators exceeded 100 persons, and expert services were nearly 100 persontime, active role played in the construction of the project. At the same time, China contributed to the IAEA in TACF totaling 7.95 million US$, 345 persontime for external expert services, personnel training in China 930 persontime and equipment procurement in China totaling 6.45 million US$. In reality, the Agency has become an important channel for China to carry out international co-operation and exchanges in its peaceful uses of nuclear energy, many research institutes, universities, hospitals, enterprises, etc. have benefited from the co-operation; meanwhile, China has also made its due contributions to the IAEA.

　　At present, the principal modes of co-operation between the Agency and China are: as a designated Board Member, attend the Board meetings, and take part in the policy-making activities of the IAEA; as a developing Member State, obtain TC assistance from the IAEA; take participate in training course, fellowship and academic activity sponsored by the IAEA; make due contributions to the technical assistance of the IAEA by way of providing voluntary contribution to TC assistance, sending abroad its experts, holding training course, etc.; take part in the IAEA activities associated with nuclear safety and physical protection for nuclear materials, aiming to improve the management level in nuclear safety and physical protection for nuclear materials; and take part in the IAEA safeguards activities to prevent the nuclear proliferation.