China touts smooth exchanges with Taiwan on nuclear safety
Central News Agency
2011/03/16 14:23:18
By Huang Chi-kuan and Sofia Wu
Beijing, March 16 (CNA) Agencies responsible for nuclear energy safety in Taiwan and China have consistently maintained smooth communications, a Chinese official said Wednesday.
Fan Liqing, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office under China's State Council, was responding to questions about concern in Taiwan over the safety of China's nuclear energy program, at a time when a nuclear power plant in Japan seemed to be spiraling out of control.
Most of China's nuclear power plants in operation or under construction are located along its southeastern coast, opposite Taiwan across a narrow strait, and some worry about what would happen if they faced problems similar to the disabled facility in Japan.
The three active reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have all suffered explosions since a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami struck the area on March 11, and it is now even having trouble keeping spent fuel rods cool, sparking fears of a major release of harmful radiation.
Like other countries in the world, Fan said, China is closely monitoring the situation at the Fukushima complex and has always kept close tabs on safety at its own nuclear power plants.
At the moment, all of China's nuclear power plants are operating normally and safely, she said, and China's professional atomic energy agencies have maintained smooth contacts with their Taiwanese counterparts.
Asked whether the two sides would discuss nuclear energy safety issues in future talks, Fan said the agenda for cross-Taiwan Strait talks would be adjusted based on practical needs.
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