standards are being adopted. The fact that a number of papers have been presented at international gatherings of experts describing the Quinshan reactor suggests that they are prepared to expose their methods and procedures to expert scrutiny.
The Daya Bay project is one which has involved endless technical discussions between the reactor suppliers the French and the Chinese. It would seem unlikely that the reactor supplier would be prepared to supply a plant designed and constructed to safety standards inferior to those adopted in the supplier's country. The aspect which does require scrutiny is the operation of the plant and the safety procedures practiced in the handling of radio-active materials as well as the plant operation and maintenance. However, the training of plant personnel will be undertaken by the reactor supplier and during the early operational life it would be expected that there would be a continuing supplier presence on the plant. when safety mal-practices would be evident and presumably every effort made to correct them.
In both the Daya Bay and, looking further to the future, the Sunan project the Chinese are heavily involved in technical interactions with European experts. France on the Daya Bay project and Germany on the Sunan project. In these interactions, extending over many years there has been no suggestion that the Chinese are desirous of diluting safety standards as practiced in those countries.
The organisation responsible for nuclear safety in China is the National Nuclear Safety Bureau (NSB). Prior to the creation of the NSB responsibility for nuclear safety research and regulatory matters was vested in the state Science and Technology Commission. The NSB was set up on 30th October 1984 under the leadership of Jiang Shengjie - Director General. It is said to be equivalent to NII and at its inception was said to have a staff of 200 experts. The structure of NSB is at App. I to this note. The reporting route for the NSB is direct to the state council.
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In the record of a meeting at the NSB on 20th March 1985 with Stevens (DofEn) and Kenyon (FCO) it states that Zang Yuman Deputy Director General of NSB said;
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where China imported power stations etc from overseas, they intended to use the exporting countries regulations. The IAEA regulations would be used as a general guide. In addition to the nuclear safety regulations the NSB was working on Atomic Energy laws at the request of the National People's Congress. The basic laws would be in operation in about three year's time".
Conclusion:
From the evidence available and the statements of intent it would appear that, for nuclear generating stations in China, the safety standards adopted will be equivalent to those currently used by the advanced nuclear nations of the West.
P&A GP DISK 451 TEXT