China intends to become a major player in the Pakistani nuclear power program

China’s National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) is investing $ 6.5 billion to build two nuclear reactors in the Pakistani city of Karachi. Recently, China has been active in increasing its presence in the global market for nuclear reactors. China joined the world race in the nuclear energy market rather late. The first nuclear power plant in China became operational only in the early 1990s . Meanwhile, the Chinese government adopted an ambitious plan to increase the capacity of the Chinese nuclear power plants. The total capacity of Chinese nuclear power plants will reach 40 million kilowatts By 2015 and 70 million kW by 2020.

According to experts, China is actively copying and adapting advanced French and American reactors production technology to meet its requirements. The tendency of Chinese nuclear scientists increasingly work in foreign markets is also noticeable. In 2000 and 2011. China on the basis of its technologies already implemented projects to build two reactors in Pakistan (also near Karachi ) . However, security regimes of these stations, according to experts of the IAEA require additional refinement and validation. This did not prevent China from getting an order to build another nuclear reactor, which is not yet completed. Therefore, the experts are not surprised by the announcement of plans for major new investments in Pakistan’s nuclear energy, says Anton Khlopkov, director of the Center for Energy and Security, in an interview with the “Voice of Russia”.

“News that Islamabad and Beijing are developing nuclear cooperation should not come as a surprise . This cooperation has its own history . It is worth noting that for China, Pakistan is the only place where the nuclear reactors are built on the Chinese project. China is interested in orders for its nuclear scientists to penetrate the markets of other countries, and any successful major project in Pakistan strengthens the image of a newcomer in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy.”  TRUNEWS