China Advances Nuclear Scanning at Ports

China and the United States recently signed detailed plans to implement a November 2005 deal to install nuclear detection equipment at Chinese ports, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration announced Wednesday (see GSN, Nov. 28, 2005).

The cooperative effort is part of the U.S. Megaports Initiative, a program intended to prevent nuclear terrorism by screening U.S.-bound cargo for nuclear or radiological weapons at the cargo’s point of departure (see GSN, April 17).

China is the largest cargo shipper in the world, according to a U.S. release, making it a desirable nation to join the initiative.

“This agreement represents an important step forward in the effort to improve the security of the global maritime shipping network, and strengthens our efforts with the People's Republic of China in fighting nuclear smuggling,” said NNSA Deputy Administrator William Tobey in a press release (U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration release, June 6).

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