China Institutes New Nuclear Export Rules

China has revised its nuclear export control regulations by amending previous rules to cover nuclear terrorism and additional nuclear technologies, Xinhua reported Friday (see GSN, Sept. 27, 2005).

“These regulations are formulated for the purposes of strengthening the control of nuclear export, preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons [and] guarding against nuclear terrorist acts,” say the revised regulations as they were released by Xinhua.

The new rules apply to technologies that can produce nuclear weapon materials.

“The state strictly restricts export of such sensitive items involved in nuclear proliferation as uranium enrichment facilities and equipment, irradiated fuel reprocessing facilities and equipment, heavy-water production facilities and equipment, and their related technologies, as well as materials that can be used in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosion devices,” the rules say.

The rules also require China’s nuclear customers to obtain Beijing’s approval before transferring technology to third parties or using Chinese equipment to enrich uranium to levels exceeding 20 percent uranium 235 (Greg Webb, GSN, Dec. 4).

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