China will further develop nuclear power to fulfill its target of increasing the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption to 20 percent of the total energy consumption by 2030, a climate official said on Wednesday.

The statement was made by Xie Zhenhua, China’s special representative on climate change, during a press conference held by the State Council in Beijing.

China’s nuclear power development was put on hold following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March 2011.

Approvals for new nuclear plants were also suspended and a nationwide safety review launched after the incident. Approvals were cautiously resumed in October 2012.

"Security should be considered the most important factor when developing nuclear power," Xie said, adding that China was committed to ensuring equipment, management and location safety.

China is selecting inland sites for nuclear power plants, vowing to continue developing clean energy to secure steady economic growth. However, it still requires further argumentation about the time and locations, according to Xie.

In coastal areas with suitable conditions, some nuclear power plants are already being built and technology is being upgraded.