An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts today completed a nuclear security advisory mission in the People’s Republic of China, which was carried out at the request of the Government.
The scope of the two-week International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission included the legislative and regulatory framework for nuclear security as well as the physical protection of nuclear material and facilities. The IPPAS team visited Fangjiashan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), one of four NPPs at Qinshan Nuclear Power Base, to review security arrangements and observe physical protection measures.
The mission also focused on China’s implementation of the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). The Amendment, ratified by China in 2009, entered into force last year and provides a strengthened framework for protecting nuclear material and facilities.
The team said that China maintains strong and sustainable nuclear security activities. The team also identified a number of good practices, while making recommendations and suggestions for continuous improvement.
The team, led by Joseph Sandoval, Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories in the United States of America, included seven other experts from six states and the IAEA. The team met in Beijing with officials from the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), the National Energy Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Public Security, the National Nuclear Safety Administration, the General Administration of Customs, and other organizations involved in nuclear security.
“A strong commitment to nuclear security is a must for any state that uses nuclear power for electricity generation and that is planning to significantly expand this capacity by constructing new power reactors,” said Muhammad Khaliq, Head of the IAEA’s Nuclear Security of Materials and Facilities Section. “China’s example in applying IAEA Nuclear Security guidance and using IAEA advisory services demonstrates its strong commitment to nuclear security and its enhancement worldwide.”
“We are satisfied with the report of this mission that serves as an independent review of our nuclear security regime,” said Shen Lixin, Deputy Director General of the CAEA’ Department of System Engineering. “I am very proud that the team could identify good practices to be shared with the international community.”
Background
The mission was the 77th IPPAS mission conducted by the IAEA since the programme began in 1995. The People’s Republic of China is the 48th Member State to host an IPPAS mission.
IPPAS missions are intended to help States strengthen their national nuclear security regime. The missions provide peer advice on implementing international instruments, along with IAEA guidance on the protection of nuclear and other radioactive material and associated facilities.
The missions call upon a team of international experts to assess a nation's system of physical protection, compare it with international good practices and make recommendations for improvement. IPPAS missions are conducted both on a nationwide and facility-specific basis.