China ready to work with int'l community on global nuclear security: CAEA head

China is ready to go hand in hand with other members of the international community to further reinforce the global nuclear security architecture, Xu Dazhe, head of China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), said here Thursday.

He made the remarks at a press briefing held during the fourth Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) which started here Thursday. The biennial event was initiated by U.S. President Barack Obama in 2010 with an aim to raise the profile of the fight against nuclear terrorism.

Noting that top Chinese leaders have participated in all the four summits, Xu said: "This shows that China attaches great importance to the work of nuclear security, and also demonstrates the responsibility of China as a major country in this field."

Since the 2014 summit held in The Hague, the Netherlands, China has made significant progress on the nuclear security system.

"Here I have brought with us a 'score card' of the Chinese government in this field to share with you," Xu said, adding that March alone saw two major results in this regard.

The first is the launch of the Center of Excellence (CoE) on Nuclear Security in Beijing on March 18, he said.

It is the largest nuclear program financed by both the Chinese and U.S. governments, and also the largest nuclear security center in the Asia-Pacific region.

"After the opening of this CoE, we will make great efforts to turn this center into an important venue for international exchange, technology, R&D activities and capacity building for nuclear security," Xu said.

Meanwhile, the conversion of the highly enriched uranium research reactor to that using low enriched uranium was also completed on March 26 and the project now is operating in its full power, he added.

The low-enriched uranium fuels -- enriched to less than 20 percent -- are unsuitable for weapons, and therefore the conversion will lower the risk of the material being diverted for illicit use, such as in nuclear explosive devices.

For all the progress that has been made, there will be no let-up in the road ahead.

"Going forward, we will make great efforts to enhance our own nuclear facility in China, and at the same time we will join hands with the other members of the international community to enhance international nuclear security," Xu said.

Domestically, China will work to develop the legal framework for nuclear security, put in place a mechanism for personnel training, and cultivate the nuclear security culture, he said.

On top of that, China will enhance technological innovation so as to meet the needs of the development of nuclear security and the nuclear energy sector, Xu said.

On international cooperation, he said, China will work closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and continue to provide necessary assistance to other countries.

"We will strengthen cooperation with the IAEA on the provision of nuclear security services at the major public events, and we will also share best practice on nuclear security with other countries."

The two-day Nuclear Security Summit will bring together leaders and envoys from 52 countries and four international organizations, who will focus on advancing tangible improvements in nuclear security behavior and strengthening the global nuclear security architecture, according to the official website of the 2016 summit. Endit