Liu Chong, a researcher with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said Xi's proposal at the summit is strategic and instructive as it stresses both treating symptoms and addressing causes.

While offering suggestions to prevent nuclear security risks, Xi stressed the importance of tackling the root causes of nuclear security. He said the international community needs to foster a peaceful and stable international environment, encourage harmonious and friendly relations between countries, and conduct exchanges among different civilizations in an amicable and open-minded manner. This is the only way to address the root causes of nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation, and to achieve the lasting security and development of nuclear power.

Chen said this idea is based on China's profound understanding of the underlying causes of global nuclear security threats.

"The efforts the international community has made on nuclear security including building security protection capacity, making and implementing international norms as well as carrying out international cooperation mainly focus on how to respond to nuclear security challenges. But what China is more concerned with is a solution to its fundamental causes," said Chen.

"What China advocates is to eliminate the scourge of terrorism—the source of nuclear security threats. It calls on all the countries to foster a peaceful regional and international environment, eliminate poverty and enhance dialogue among different civilizations for mutual understanding," Chen added. "The Chinese approach to nuclear security proposed by President Xi shows China's role as a responsible power in the world arena."

A good record

In his statement during the summit, Xi not only proposed to address international nuclear security challenges but also committed to firmly strengthening China's own nuclear security capability.

Chen said that in the last several decades, China has intensified its efforts to enhance the government's regulatory capacity. The country has also increased inputs in relevant device and technological development as well as human resources cultivation to enhance the security of its nuclear materials and facilities.

Since the 1950s, China has issued a series of regulations on nuclear security management and kept a sound record on nuclear security. To meet the new challenges as well as upgrade its technological capacity, China established the National Nuclear Security Technology Center under the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) in 2011 to provide technological support for the country's nuclear security, nuclear material control and nuclear export-import management as well as intergovernmental exchanges and cooperation.