China adopts plan boosting nuclear security

The State Council, or China's Cabinet, on Thursday deliberated and preliminarily passed a five-year plan on nuclear security and radioactive contaminant treatment.

A long-term goal set for 2020 concerning the issue was also adopted at an executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao.

According to the plan and the goal, China will adhere to a policy of "safety and quality first" and a basic principle of "prevention priority" for its strategy on the area.

China should raise the security levels of nuclear facilities and equipment for utilizing nuclear technologies while reducing security risks surrounding them, according to general objectives set in the plan and goal.

Capacities for preventing nuclear accidents, treating contaminants and responding to emergencies should be well developed so as to ensure people's health as well as the security of nuclear materials and the environment.

China should maintain and boost its level of nuclear security in the world, and continue to keep a sound radioactive environment by improving the prevention and control of radioactive contaminants, indicates the plan.

China has always followed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in working out its nuclear security standards, and its laws and rules concerning this area comply with international practice, said a statement released after the State Council executive meeting.

The locations of civilian nuclear facilities are selected after research into quake-proofing and flood-control, and the design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants are all carefully managed, said the statement.

These remarks derive from a series of security checks on China's more than 41 nuclear power units in operation or under construction and all its civilian nuclear facilities, including a nine-month national overhaul in this area after Japan's Fukushima nuclear accident alarmed nations around the world last year, according to the statement.

Security checks have proven that these nuclear reactors and facilities in China meet the requirements made in China's and the IAEA's relevant standards.

A new wave of checks has been been taking place since February. These have raised some issues, such as the substandard flood resistance of certain nuclear power plants and weaknesses in assessing and handling tsunamis, the statement said.

Rectification of these defects has been ordered, it added.

Public feedback has been invited on the plan and goal, according to the statement.