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U.S., China Team Up To Enhance Nuclear Material Security

25 October 2005

Weeklong training in Beijing involves civilian experts from both countries

Hundreds of civilian nuclear experts from China and the United States are gathered in Beijing for a weeklong technology exposition on nuclear material security and international safeguards.

Ambassador Linton Brooks, administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and Qin Sun, the chairman of China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), presided over the opening events on October 24.  The China Institute for Atomic Energy is hosting the event.

The hands-on training seminars and exercises that will be offered throughout the week are designed to promote the adoption of modern security practices and technologies at civilian nuclear facilities, according to a DOE press release.  The ultimate goal is to prevent nuclear material theft, diversion and sabotage.

DOE called the event "a model for successful cooperative projects," that "marks an important step in continued collaboration between the United States and China in the area of nonproliferation, nuclear security and safeguards."

DOE and CAEA intend to continue bilateral consultation on best security practices and continue technical exchanges in the area of nonproliferation related technologies, the news release said.

The next event planned is a regional training course on "Facility Systems of Accounting and Control" that will be implemented in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency in early 2006.

For more information on U.S. policy, see The United States and China.

Following is the text of the DOE news release:

(begin text)

U.S. Department of Energy
For Immediate Release
Bryan Wilkes 202-586-7371
October 24, 2005

U.S. and China Jointly Host Technology Exposition on Nuclear Material Security and International Safeguards

Collaborative Approaches to Enhancing Nuclear Material Security

BEIJING - Ambassador Linton Brooks, administrator of the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Mr. Qin Sun, the chairman of China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), presided over the opening of the joint U.S.-China 2005 Integrated Nuclear Material Management Technology Demonstration on Monday, October 24th in Beijing, China.  The China Institute for Atomic Energy (CIAE) is hosting the demonstration.

Representatives from the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Departments of Energy and State toured the facility today with Chinese representatives from CAEA and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).  Approximately 100 representatives from civilian nuclear facilities and research institutes throughout the Chinese complex will participate in hands-on training seminars and exercises throughout the week.

The purpose of the demonstration is to promote the adoption of modern security practices and technologies at civilian nuclear facilities by demonstrating established physical protection, nuclear material control and accounting, and international safeguards technologies that provide a first line of defense against nuclear material theft, diversion and sabotage.  Planning activities for the demonstration included joint technical work on hardware and software, system design and installation, and topical workshops on vulnerability assessment and nondestructive assay, exchange of technical personnel, training, and site visits.

NNSA and CAEA are the government sponsors of the event, which is being conducted under the auspices of the DOE-CAEA Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology Agreement (PUNT).  Experts from the CIAE, the Fourth Institute of Nuclear Engineering of CNNC, and Los Alamos, Livermore, Sandia and Oak Ridge National Laboratories, provided the technical expertise to support the planning and implementation.  Both the U.S. and China provided the required technical and financial resources.

Additional cooperative activities related to nuclear material security will follow the demonstration.  Near term plans include the execution of a regional training course on "Facility Systems of Accounting and Control" that will be implemented in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency in the Spring of 2006.  In addition, the DOE and CAEA intend to continue bilateral consultation on best security practices and continue technical exchanges in the area of nonproliferation related technologies.  The teamwork between the Chinese and the American representatives in organizing this demonstration is a model for successful cooperative projects and marks an important step in continued collaboration between the United States and China in the area of nonproliferation, nuclear security and safeguards.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)