.0
GRS 1500 CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1048
OF 180651Z JUNE 86
NKK 160/1, CONFIDENTIAL
20 JUN 986
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, PAR15
ONG KONG TELNO.1819 AND FCO TELNO.1124 TO HONG KONG:
NUCLEAR SAFETY, CHINA.
FROM COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR.
SUMMARY.
166A
ре Gangsung
THE CHAIRMAN OF CHINA'S STATE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION
SONG JIAN, TOLD EC REPRESENTATIVES ON 16 JUNE THAT CHINA WAS TAKING NUCLEAR SAFETY VERY SERIOUSLY. THE DAYA BAY PROJECT WOULD CONTINUE. IT WAS UP TO BRITAIN TO REASSURE HONG KONG. COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR RESPONDED THAT MAIN RESPONSIBILITY WAS CHINESE AND
THAT PRACTICAL STEPS IN STRENGTHENING THE NUCLEAR SAFETY ADMIN – ISTRATION WERE REQUIRED. IN RESPONSE SONG JIAN PROPOSED
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BRITISH AND FRENCH GOVERNMENTS FOR A COMMON APPROACH TO THIS PROBLEM.
2. AT A WORKING DINNER GIVEN FOR THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION ON 16 JUNE BY THE EC EMBASSIES, STATE COUNCILLOR SONG JIAN, 2AS ASKED ABOUT CHINESE ATTITUDES TOWARDS
NUCLEAR POLLUTION. SONG JIAN REPLIED THAT AFTER CHERNOBYL MANY
CHINESE EXPERTS. HAD BECOME SERIOUSLY CONCERNED. NOT MUCH POLLUTION
FROM THE DISASTER HAD REACHED CHINA BUT THE THREAT HAD BEEN THERE.
CHINA'S OWN NUCLEAR PROGRAMME WAS SMALL. HER COAL RESERVES WERE
ENORMOUS WITH IDENTIFIED RESERVES OF 1 TRILLION TONS. IF THE TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS COULD BE SOLVED, COAL AND HYDRO-ELECTRICITY WOULD BE THE MAINSTAY FOR CHINA'S ENERGY REQUIREMENTS. IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE NUCLEAR ENERGY WOULD PLAY ONLY A SMALL ROLE. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD, HOWEVER, DECIDED NOT (REPEAT) NOT TO STOP THE DAYA BAY PROJECT. THIS WAS BECAUSE THE NUCLEAR PLANT WAS PROVIDED BY FRANCE AND THE U.K. MRS THATCHER HAD
TOLD HU YAOBANG IN LONDON THAT FRENCH AND BRITISH TECHNOLOGY WAS
MUCH MORE ADVANCED THAN SOVIET. THE CHINESE BELIEVED THIS AND
AGREED. BUT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WERE STILL CONCERNED AND MANY
REMAINED OPPOSED TO THE PROJECT. SINCE HONG KONG REMAINED UNDER
THE ADMINISTRATION OF BRITAIN SONG JIAN HOPED THAT THE LEADERS OF
BRITAIN COULD DO A BETTER JOB IN EXPLAINING THE REALITITES OF DAYA
BAY TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. CHINA ITSELF WOULD DO MORE
RESEARCH ON NUCLEAR SAFETY. THE CTINESE HAD VERY GOOD CO-OPERATION
WITH THE IAEA. BOTH FRANCE AND THE FRG WERE PREPARED TO JOIN IN
CHINA'S NUCLEAR SAFETY PROGRAMME. A LIMITED DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR
ENERGY IN CHINA DID NOT, THEREFORE, CONSTITUTE A SERIOUS THREAT.
CONFIDENTIAL
13.