US Bans Export of Radioactive Materials to Chinese State-Owned Nuclear Power Companies

Ban on Radioactive Materials for China Guanghe Group
Concerns over Plutonium Production and Nuclear Weapon Increase at Chinese Nuclear Power Plant

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. authorities have announced a ban on the export and shipment of radioactive materials to Chinese nuclear power companies. This measure aims to prevent China's civilian nuclear power companies from diverting nuclear technology for military use, while the Chinese government denies this, asserting that its nuclear program is operated peacefully.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press on the 5th (local time), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stated in a press release, "Following the directive issued by the White House on the 27th of last month, exports and shipments of radioactive materials such as heavy water to Chinese nuclear power companies, including China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), its subsidiaries, or related entities, are prohibited." The NRC emphasized that this is "a measure to promote U.S. national security interests and strengthen the collective defense and security of the U.S. and its allies."

Previously, in August 2019, the U.S. government blacklisted CGN, citing attempts to convert nuclear materials imported from the U.S. for civilian use and technologies illicitly obtained from the U.S. for military purposes. CGN is known as China's largest state-owned nuclear power company, exporting nuclear technology worldwide. Since 2018, during the former Donald Trump administration, the U.S. government has been tightening controls on nuclear material shipments to prevent China from militarizing civilian nuclear technology.

The U.S. Department of Defense is concerned that China is recently constructing nuclear power plants on a large scale, which could be used to produce a large quantity of nuclear weapons. Earlier, in April, U.S. Strategic Command Commander Charles Richard warned Congress that "the next-generation nuclear power plants under development by China could produce large amounts of plutonium that can be used to make nuclear weapons."

Although the Chinese government claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, concerns are rising that it will significantly increase its nuclear arsenal, currently estimated at about 200 warheads, as it is reportedly constructing large-scale nuclear containment facilities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Earlier in July, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) estimated that China has been building new missile silos near Hami City in eastern Xinjiang since March, capable of storing about 110 nuclear missiles.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.