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 | Thursday, April 27, 2000, updated at 16:12(GMT+8) | ||||||||||||
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China to Develop Own Advanced Nuclear ReactorsChina will focus on developing advanced nuclear reactors with its own intellectual property rights rather than merely relying on foreign technologies, according to Xu Guanhua, vice-minister of science and technology.He stressed that the reactors must be Chinese-made, and safe and economical. China has built nuclear power plants in Zhejiang, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, but the main technologies were imported from foreign countries, including France and Russia. Speaking at a ceremony celebrating China's breakthrough in producing some core nuclear technologies on April 7, Xu revealed that China has the ability to develop its own advanced reactors, and the government will invest more in this endeavor. The new achievements include a helium gas circulator, a high- temperature gas-cooled reactor, and a control rod diver system, which all passed government examinations today. Experts say that the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor is of particular significance, because only the United States, Germany and Japan were previously able to produce such reactors. China is building its first such reactor in the suburbs of Beijing, with an investment of 250 million yuan (about 30 million US dollars). Most of the key equipment of the reactor is made here. Currently, coal accounts for 75 percent of China's energy consumption, creating serious environmental problems. Xu said that China will readjust its energy structure in the 21st century by exploring new energy sources such as nuclear and hydroelectric power. Jiang Yiren, vice-mayor of Shanghai, said that the city will participate in international competition in the nuclear energy field by offering products that meet international standards.
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