China keeps mum on US comments on Pak nuclear reactors
China on Thursday kept mum on reported comments by a US official that Beijing should get a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) before going ahead with its commitment to build two new nuclear reactors for Pakistan.
China on Thursday kept mum on reported comments by a US official that Beijing should get a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) before going ahead with its commitment to build two new nuclear reactors for Pakistan.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu declined to comment when asked about the reported comments by US Assistant Secretary for South Asia Robert Blake that China should get the waiver from NSG before going ahead with the project.
She merely said she has already commented on China's plans to build two new reactors.
Blake, who early this week held preparatory talks with his Chinese counterparts ahead of the China-US strategic dialogue to be held on May 23, said Washington was aware of the reports about Chinese plans.
He reportedly said the US stand in this regard is that China has to obtain NSG waiver before going ahead with the project.
China has apparently not informed the NSG about its commitment to build two more reactors to Pakistan, which observers here say is an important requirement.
Yang in her earlier briefings said China-Pakistan nuclear cooperation respected the international obligations and under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations.
China's commitment to build the two nuclear power plants was announced by China National Nuclear Corporation, (CNNC) which posted a brief statement on its website recently stating it had reached the agreement with Pakistan "with the aim of developing an overseas nuclear power electricity market".
China has already built two reactors with capacity about 350 mw at Chasma in Pakistan's Punjab province earlier.
Under the new agreement, Chinese companies will build at least two new reactors with 650 mw each at Chashma.