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China is becoming the global center of the nuclear power industry while realizing its goal of optimizing its energy structure and promoting social development, Li Guanxing, director of the Chinese Nuclear Society, said Monday, according to domestic news portal cnstock.com.

"As a clean, safe and efficient source of energy, nuclear power has become an important factor in the global course of promoting low-carbon and sustainable development," Li said during the 25th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering. The conference in Shanghai opened on Sunday and will end on Friday.

There are 36 nuclear power units in service in the Chinese mainland and 20 are under construction. Total installed capacity is about 56.94 million kilowatts, meaning that China's nuclear power sector has achieved a certain scale of development, according to Li.

Capacity is expected to reach 88 million kilowatts by 2020, Li added.

"China's nuclear sector will strengthen its innovation and quicken its industrial upgrading in the next five years, enhancing nuclear safety and forging the Chinese brand," Wang Yiren, deputy director of the China Atomic Energy Authority, was quoted as telling cnstock.com on Monday.