Work on the Tianwan Nuclear Power Station, the largest cooperation project between China and Russia, began on October 20 in Lianyungang, a coastal city in east China's Jiangsu Province.

　This represents a remarkable step forward by China in nuclear power development, said Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Bangguo at the ceremony to mark the start of the project here today.

　Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Boris Yeltsin exchanged letters of congratulations on the event.

　The Tianwan Nuclear Power Station eventually will have four pressurized water reactor generating units, each with a capacity of one million kilowatts. The first two units will begin operating in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

　Wu said that nuclear power is an economic, safe and clean energy and the construction of the new station as scheduled will be conducive not only to the development of the nuclear power industry and the local economy but also to environmental protection.

　He said that China and Russia have established close and favorable cooperation ties since December 1997 when the two countries decided to jointly build the project.

　He expressed the hope that the two sides will further enhance cooperation and make the plant safe and well-performing.

　China now has four nuclear power projects under construction. The other three are the second and third phases of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station in east China's Zhejiang Province and the Ling'ao Nuclear Power Station in south China's Guangdong Province.

　Also attending the ceremony were dozens of other Chinese and Russian officials, including Russia's Vice-Minister of Nuclear Energy E.A. Reshetnikov and Russian Ambassador to China Igor Rogachev.