China yesterday reiterated that the proposed purchase of a mixed
oxide fuel (MOX) production facility from Germany's Siemens is
strictly for civilian, not military purposes.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said MOX fuel, which is
composed of uranium and plutonium, can be used in nuclear
generation of electricity.
However, the proposed deal has caused an uproar in Germany,
where several legislators have expressed fears that the equipment
could help China's nuclear weapons programme.
"These worries are over-sensitive," said Liu at yesterday's
regular news briefing. "This fuel in China will be used for
peaceful purposes. I would like to emphasize that."
Liu said as far as he knew, MOX is used in more than 30
light-water reactors and over 20 fast neutron reactors in countries
such as France, Japan and the United States.
He told reporters that China is still negotiating the deal with
the German side.
Details of the plan emerged last week when Schroeder, visiting
China, said the Chinese had expressed interest in buying equipment
from Germany that can convert plutonium and uranium to so-called
mixed-oxide, or MOX, fuel for nuclear power plants.
Turning to the topic of the unsettled standoff on the Korean
Peninsula, the spokesman said China will, as always, push for the
continuance of the six-party talks.
"For China, the most important thing is to consult with all
parties concerned to find common ground to restart the talks," Liu
said.
He noted that solving the nuclear issue of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a very complicated process
which cannot be accomplished by one single effort.
The spokesman said China supports the efforts made by the
European Union (EU) to defuse the unsettled crisis with the
DPRK.
An EU delegation left for the DPRK via Beijing yesterday for a
three-day visit aimed at pushing forward the proposed second round
of six-party talks.
Liu said the EU delegates exchanged views with Fu Ying, head of
the Asian Affairs Department under the Foreign Ministry, when they
arrived in Beijing on Monday.
(China Daily December 10, 2003)