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STATEMENT BY MR. JIANG XINXIONG,
HEAD OF THE CHINESE DELEGATION
AT THE 36TH SESSION OF THE IAEA GENERAL CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER 1992
Mr. President,
I am honoured to head once again the Chinese Delegation to the 36th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency and to discuss with colleagues from various countries on some important issues of our common concern. Please allow me to congratulate you Mr. President on your election to the Presidency of the current session and express my confidence that with your rich experience and diplomatic talent, you will surely be able to guide the session to a complete success. I wish to assure you of the active support and full cooperation on the part of the Chinese Delegation in the discharging of your lofty tasks. Meanwhile, I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to extend our tribute to the Director General, Dr. Blix and all his staff of the Secretariat, and welcome The Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Uzbekistan as new members of the Agency.
In recent years, the international situation has undergone drastic changes and is now confronted with increasing variables, presenting to us with opportunities as well as challenges. Faced with This situation, the international community pins high hopes on the Agency and expects the Agency to make new contributions in the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy and prevention of nuclear proliferation.
Today, as we objectively review the Agency's work of the past year, we need to commend the efforts and progress by the Agency on some important issues, namely, the successful Symposium on Electricity and the Environment held in Helsinki and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which brought new prospects for the development of nuclear power; the series of effective measures taken by the Secretariat to facilitate the implementation of technical assistance projects that further enhanced the Agency's capacity to respond to the ever increasing demand for technical aid; the number of suggestions and measures proposed by the Secretariat for the prevention of nuclear proliferation and the strengthening of safeguards in answering to the concern of various countries; the efforts by the Agency in implementing the Security Council resolution 687; and finally, the preliminary results achieved in identifying the elements to be covered by the International Nuclear Safety Convention, which forms a sound basis for the framework and content of the convention under discussion, a basis that encourages people to expect substantive progress in the respect. In general, we are satisfied with the work of the Agency over the past year.
At the same time, we wish to point out that there is no reason for self-congratulation on the achieved results as the Agency is yet to do more and the member states to provide further necessary assistance to facilitate the work of the Agency. As is known to all/the Agency has been experiencing since the latter half of last year an unprecedented financial constraint that seriously handicapped the normal functioning of the Agency. This situation cannot but cause concern of member states. The Chinese Delegation trusts that so long as all states attach importance to the work of the Agency and take real steps in fulfilling their financial obligations, the Agency as the inter-governmental and international organization for the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy will certainly be able to further improve and strengthen its entrusted functions.
Mr. President,
Against the new situation, people are invariably thinking about the future orientation of the Agency and how the Agency should balance its promotional activities against its nuclear safeguards functions.
Facts have shown that so long as the Agency adheres to the objectives and principles of the Statute, it will continuously advance and achieve new progress; and that whenever a particular function of the Agency is over emphasized, it may lead to the weakening of the foundations for existence and development of the Agency. Doubtless to say, every effort should be made to prevent the occurrence of such a situation. The Chinese Government consistently holds that equal importance should be attached to the historically significant dual roles entrusted on the Agency, since the Agency is indeed an monitoring body, but more so an organization for the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It is for this reason that the Agency should maintain an appropriate balance between its nuclear safeguards functions and its promotional activities, and not over emphasize one function at the expense of the other.
Peace and development are the two major issues facing the world today and energy is a precondition for economic development. The use of fossil fuel may cause such serious environmental problems like the greenhouse effect and if appropriate measures are not taken, such problems would become worse as industrialization develops further. In contrast, nuclear energy is conducive to environmental protection. For the majority countries, nuclear energy is highly competitive in its economic efficiency and is presently by far the best alternative source of energy. The Agency, therefore, should concentrate more attention on how to fulfill the nuclear energy requirements of the member states. It is our hope that the Agency make greater efforts to assist the developing countries in the formulation of nuclear power planning, development of infrastructure for nuclear power facilities, training of expertise and the dissemination of successful experience in nuclear power station design, construction and operation. Besides, the Agency should also encourage and promote the exchange of such experience among the developing countries.
The Chinese Government has all along given priority concern and high assessment to the international cooperation on nuclear safety and believes that such cooperative relations bears on the long term development of nuclear power and the protection of people's health and the environment. Owing to historical and current factors, the developing countries are lack of nuclear safety technology and experience. It is our view that to make their nuclear safety standards reach the international level, the Agency needs to strengthen its role in providing to the developing countries nuclear safety services and guidance, improve the latter's management of radioactive wastes and disseminate to them advanced nuclear safety technology. The Chinese Government pays great attention to the question of nuclear safety and has made the safety and quality priority as the fundamental policy for China's development of nuclear power. China has actively participated in international cooperation in the safety field. The International Conference on the Safety of Nuclear Power held in September last year provided us with an important forum for the exchange of views and experience on the promotion of international cooperation in nuclear safety. This conference presented a series of suggestions on the strengthening of international cooperation in nuclear safety, of which the proposed formulation of an international nuclear safety convention received positive response from many member states. China is in favour of such an international nuclear safety convention and proposes that the convention mainly cover the basic principles for nuclear safety, and, in that respect, believes that the primary responsibility for nuclear safety lies with the state.
Mr. President,
The fundamental objective of China's development of nuclear power is solely for the peaceful use of nuclear energy for the benefit of the people. Over the past year, China's nuclear power construction achieved significant progress. China's self-designed and constructed Qinshan 300MWe pressurized water reactor was successfully commissioned and connected to the power grid last December, landmarking China's nuclear power industry, commencing the presence of nuclear power station on the mainland China and ushering in a new stage of the country's nuclear power development. Units 1 and 2 of Daya Bay nuclear power plant jointly financed by China and Hongkong are currently at the late stage of equipment installation and are expected to be commissioned in 1993 and 1994 respectively. The general and preliminary design of 2 x 600MWe pressurized water reactor for Phase II of the Qinshan plant has been finished and the active preparation for pre-phase work on the site is now under way.
China relies mainly on its own experience gained through over 30 years of technological development in its nuclear power construction. In the meantime, China has implemented with real earnest its policy of opening to the outside world and attached importance to the introduction of advanced overseas expertise and promotion of international cooperation. The growth of China's nuclear power industry will surely make new contributions to the construction of China's socialist modernization and the cause of peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the world.
Mr. President,
The prevention of nuclear proliferation and promotion of nuclear disarmament form an important part of China's peaceful foreign policy of independence. China maintains a consistent principled stand on the prevention of nuclear proliferation, namely, China does not advocate, encourage or engage in proliferation of nuclear weapons, nor help other countries develop nuclear weapons. In cooperation with other countries in peaceful uses of nuclear energy, China has always taken responsible and prudent policies. In its nuclear export, China maintains the three principles that the importer assures its exclusive use for peaceful purposes; subjects the item in question to the safeguards of the Agency; and does not transfer the item to any third party without the consent of China. In its nuclear import, China undertakes that the imports be used solely for peaceful purposes. After went into effect, the agreement between the Chinese Government and the Agency in September 1988 on China's voluntary submission of some of her civilian nuclear facilities to the Agency's safeguards and following necessary preparations by the two sides, the agreement now is formally under implementation. From 14 to 19 September this year, the inspectors from the Agency conducted their first inspection on China's nuclear installations. In January 1989, China acceded to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, which indicates that the Chinese Government pays high attention to the issue of physical protection of nuclear material and that China is willing to participate in international cooperation in this field. To facilitate the safeguards activities of the Agency, China officially undertook in November last year to notify on a continuous basis of her nuclear material exports to and imports from non-nuclear-weapon states whenever the quantity exceeds one effective kilogramme. And in March this year, China formally acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear 10 Weapons. In the area of nuclear safeguards, China favours the discussion within the Agency on the strengthening of relevant measures. China supports in principle the conducting of special inspections as a means to improve the effectiveness of safeguards. At the same time, China believes it necessary to prevent the abuse of the power of special inspection in order to preserve the true purpose of such activities. All these stated above fully testifies to the support of China for the objective of nuclear non-proliferation. As always, China will continue to make unremitting efforts for the ultimate objective of nuclear non-proliferation.
Over the past year, the discussion within the Agency on the strengthening of the safeguards system has made new headway. Certain understanding has been reached on the conducting of necessary special inspections in non-nuclear-weapon states that have signed full scope safeguards agreements with the Agency; wide support has been obtained in the Board for the suggestion proposed by the Secretariat on the early submission of design information for nuclear installations; and the discussion is now underway regarding the report to the Agency on the 11 import and export of nuclear materials, certain nuclear equipment and some non-nuclear materials.
We have to be aware, however, of the fact that the justified wish of the developing countries for more extensive and in-depth international exchange and cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy has yet to be accorded with due attention; that the significance and role of international cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy are often deliberately distorted or understated. The current state of international cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy falls short of our satisfaction. The monopoly by the industrialized countries over nuclear science and technology and nuclear energy technology has remained basically intact. Certain developed countries have went far as to impose unreasonable restrictions to the international cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and nuclear trade in the name of prevention of nuclear proliferation. Particularly in recent years, there were even attempts to impose pressure on cooperation among developing countries in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. All These factors are detrimental to the advancement of the cause of peaceful uses of nuclear 12 energy. The Chinese Delegation therefore deems it necessary to reiterate and stress that when carrying out international cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, countries concerned need to take appropriate measures as preconditions for cooperation to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, including nuclear explosive devices. However, such preventive measures should not hinder or restrict the promotion of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, nor jeopardize the legitimate rights of all countries, the developing countries in particular, to utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Mr. President,
China has consistently attached importance to the dual role of the Agency in the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy and prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons and adhered to and upheld the objectives and principles of the Statute. Over the past year, China, as before, actively participated in the work of the Agency and made efforts and contribution for the promotion of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. China paid timely its assessed 13 contributions to the regular budget, duly fulfilled her financial obligations for technical assistance and cooperation and did her best in providing contributions in kind. China has actively participated in the consultations and consideration in the Board on the strengthening of safeguards measures and put forward her constructive suggestions and observations. In the field of technical cooperation, China has successfully sponsored on her own resources or in cooperation with the Agency nine regional training courses or international conferences in the country. The recently concluded 8th International Meeting on Irradiation Processing in Beijing reviewed the latest progress, exchanged new technological and production information related to the industrial application of irradiation processing technique of recent years. It is our hope that the fruit of the conference will help promote the commercialization of irradiation processing technique. Together with other countries concerned, China has actively promoted multi-leveled and multi-formed cooperation with other developing countries, especially regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific area and has purposefully endeavoured to lead such cooperation to a new depth. Over the past year, numerous Chinese experts were 14 invited to attend meetings of various advisory or expert groups of the Agency. Meanwhile, China has actively provided personnel training and expertise services for the other developing countries.
Mr. President,
In light of the volatile international situation, the member countries of the Agency widely expect the Agency to continue to play its positive role in the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy and prevention of nuclear-proliferation. It is our belief that so long as all member countries faithfully adhere to the objectives and principles of the Statute and follow the current overwhelming historic world trend of peace and development, the Agency would be able to fulfill the expectations of all and accomplish the historic tasks entrusted to it.
Thank you, Mr. President.
This
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