The State Council yesterday formally enacted amendments to its regulations regarding the export of nuclear goods and technologies for both civil and military use as a precaution against acts of nuclear terrorism.

The State Council Decree No.484, signed by Premier Wen Jiabao, forbids importers from using nuclear goods or technologies provided by China to create explosives or for any other purpose that is not agreed before purchase.

The recipients of the goods must guarantee that they will not reproduce the materials for nuclear fuel cycling unless it is under the supervision of the IAEA or it has signed agreements with the agency. Importers are also forbidden from transferring a reproduction of nuclear goods and technologies to any third party that has not been identified as the final user.

Previous regulations enacted by China in June 1998 failed to address the issue of reproduction in regards to nuclear goods. The revision of the regulation also added software onto the country's control list for nuclear exports, a category that previously was only used to refer to equipment, materials, and relative technologies.

Observers said the revision, which takes effect immediately, is a sign of China's commitment to nuclear nonproliferation and a reaction to rising concerns over the possibility of nuclear terrorism.

The revision states clearly that the Chinese government will take "all necessary measures" to prevent nuclear goods and technologies exports from jeopardizing both national and global security.

New regulations require licensed companies to keep all contracts, invoices, and business correspondences relevant to the export of nuclear goods and technologies for at least five years. The revision also clarifies the penalties and fines for transgressors, making it known that those who smuggle nuclear goods and technologies or counterfeit trade export licenses will face hefty fines.

If the turnover is less than 50,000 yuan (US$6,451), transgressors will be fined from 50,000 yuan to 250,000 yuan (US$32,257).

A special panel of experts will be set up under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Commerce to undertake the consulting, evaluation, and verification of nuclear goods and technologies for exports.

The ministry may ask the customs authorities to detain and inspect suspicious cargo. For goods and cargo beyond the supervisory capacity of customs, the ministry may seal them up and ask relevant departments to carry out further inspections.

Unlike the previous regulations that required State Council approval for the modification of the nuclear export control list, the Ministry of Commerce will have the authority to make regular adjustments in collaboration with the IAEA and other members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

China joined the NSG in 2004 and is one of seven countries known to have a nuclear weapon capacity along with the US, Russia, the UK, France, India, and Pakistan.

Statistics from the Melbourne-based Uranium Information Center showed that as of January 2007, 57 countries operate civil research reactors, and 30 have 435 commercial nuclear power reactors with a total installed capacity of over 370,000 MWe. This is more than three times the total generating capacity of France and Germany from all sources.

Some 30 further power reactors are currently under construction, equivalent to 6 percent of the existing capacity while over 60 are firmly planned, equivalent to 18 percent of the present capacity. 

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2007)