Experts said on Sunday, April 3, that the proposals presented by President Xi Jinping at the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) show the country's commitment against nuclear terrorism, boosting global confidence in nuclear energy development, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The fourth and final NSS was held on Friday, April 1, where Xi and some 50 world leaders met to discuss how to prevent nuclear terrorism and ensure the security of nuclear materials. The NSS was initiated by U.S. President Barack Obama.
During the summit, Xi called for "removing its breeding ground" and "zero-tolerance for nuclear terrorism," which he described as a grave threat to international security.
But experts said that the risk for proliferation of nuclear materials may increase with the development of nuclear energy and the rising use of nuclear technology in agriculture and medicine, amid the growing concern and attention to nuclear security around the world.
Experts further warned that nuclear devices may be used by terrorists to launch attacks.
"Leaders of the nuclear energy industry have demanded top priority be given to nuclear security and preventing terrorists from using the Internet to attack nuclear facilities," Zhu Xuhui, a senior advisor with the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said.
Xi stressed that China will ensure the security of nuclear materials as it remains committed to developing and using nuclear energy, apart from reinforcing its commitment to help counter nuclear terrorism.
"This is to bridge the gap in the energy supply, and address the challenges posed by climate change," Xi said. "China is the country with the fastest growth in nuclear power. At the same time, it has kept a good nuclear security record."
China has highlighted nuclear power development as a priority for the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), although it has put its nuclear energy development on hold after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
China is now leading the world with 24 nuclear power generating units under construction, as it continues to explore ways to export it to the international market by signing agreements with Britain, Pakistan, the Czech Republic and other countries.
As President Xi had already addressed security concerns related to China's nuclear power development, observers said this sent a reassuring message that the country will continue to improve nuclear security, and help build confidence in nuclear energy development.
"China applies the most stringent security monitoring to ensure the safety and security of nuclear power stations within China and those exported to other parts of the world. Nothing is left to chance," Xi said.
"With a good security monitoring system and a good record, China has expressed willingness to share technology, expertise and resources with countries interested in developing nuclear power as clean energy," Fan Jishe, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.