BEIJING, May 8, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping
kicked off his state visit to France on May 5.
It coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic ties between China and
France, and is of great
significance to building on past achievements and opening up new
prospects for bilateral relations.
During this visit, achieving carbon neutrality goals will, once
again, be an important consensus reaffirmed by China and France, in relation to which, the joint
promotion of nuclear energy cooperation and development as an
important cornerstone for the two countries to achieve carbon
reduction goals has attracted great attention.
Yu Jianfeng, Chairman of China National Nuclear Corporation
(CNNC), and Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Electricité de France
(EDF) jointly released A Prospective Study on
"Bluebook" on Nuclear Energy to Support for Low Carbon on
Monday in Paris.
"China and France, as major nuclear energy-producing
countries in the world, play an irreplaceable role in promoting
nuclear energy to address climate change and low-carbon
transformation," Yu said.
He noted that nuclear energy cooperation is an important part of
the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France. Under the strategic guidance of
President Xi and President Macron, nuclear energy enterprises
in the two countries have adhered to the principle of "walking on
the two legs of technological cooperation and industrial
cooperation," and have achieved fruitful results.
The Global Times learned from the CNNC that the cooperation
between the CNNC and the EDF opens a new chapter in the two
countries' nuclear energy cooperation. This not only reflects the
concrete implementation of the important consensus reached by the
top leaders of the two countries, but also marks the 40th
anniversary of the two countries' nuclear energy cooperation and
witnesses the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
relations between China and
France.
The move will also support China in building an innovative nuclear energy
international cooperation network. In the future, the two countries
will leverage their strengths to build a new pattern of cooperation
and development that is interconnected and driven by innovation,
supported by industry to promote the improvement of global nuclear
governance, and make greater contributions to the economic and
social development of China and
France, as well as the
construction of a global community of shared future for
mankind.
One of the most stable cooperation areas
The nuclear energy cooperation between China and France has a long history and continues to
deepen. Since the signing of the first cooperation agreement on the
peaceful use of nuclear energy in 1982, China and France have always adhered to the principle of
equal emphasis on scientific and industrial cooperation. Nuclear
energy cooperation has become one of the most stable cooperation
areas between the two countries.
As one of the earliest international nuclear energy companies to
cultivate business in China,
the EDF has been operating in China for more than 40 years and has become
one of the largest foreign investors in China's power generation and energy services
industry.
For a long time, the EDF has developed and deepened its
partnership with the CNNC. The two sides regularly hold high-level
meetings, and their cooperation covers multiple areas such as
nuclear power research and development, construction, operation and
maintenance, and fuel, achieving numerous results.
The CNNC and the EDF have actively participated in the
interactive activities of international organizations, sending
experts to support the work of international organization technical
groups, conducting international research projects, and promoting
international coordination and standardization. For example, they
participated in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s
nuclear safety standards development work, especially the recent
Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI) small
modular reactor regulatory forum activities initiated by the IAEA,
which is aimed at promoting the development of universal standards
for small modular reactors, coordinate unified regulatory
requirements, and promote the safe and reliable deployment of small
modular reactors worldwide.
The EDF and the CNNC have also made important contributions
to the standardization work of international standardization
organizations and the International Electrotechnical
Commission.
As the main force of China and
France's nuclear energy technology
cooperation, the CNNC has established long-term friendly
cooperation relationships with French partners and achieved
fruitful cooperation results. In the more than 40 years of nuclear
energy technology cooperation, the CNNC and the French Atomic
Energy Commission have established seven collaborative laboratories
in areas such as reactor thermal hydraulics, severe accident
management, aging and life management of pressurized water
reactors, fast reactors, nuclear fusion, geological disposal of
high-level radioactive waste, decommissioning, and radioactive
waste management. The two sides also signed and implemented over
500 special cooperation projects.
The CNNC has also successfully held six nuclear energy
technology innovation seminars with the EDF, achieving good results
in areas such as severe accidents, additive manufacturing, and
material research.
Furthermore, the CNNC has also formed a consortium with
Framatome to successfully bid for and implement the main machine
installation project of the International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor (ITER), and have conducted good cooperation
with the Orano Group in areas such as the research on uranium
resources.
To jointly build "artificial sun"
Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy has become an
important part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between
China and France. The scope of nuclear energy
cooperation between the two countries is wide-ranging and diverse,
but the most "high-energy" project undoubtedly is the ITER
large-scale scientific project that the two countries are jointly
working on.
Referred to as the world's largest "artificial sun,"
the ITER project is currently the largest and most influential
international scientific project in the world, carrying the hopes
of humanity for the peaceful use of nuclear fusion
energy.
The ITER device is a superconducting tokamak capable of
producing large-scale nuclear fusion reactions, which will help
humanity move further toward a continuous source of clean energy.
Since its establishment in 2007, the ITER has been one of the
largest international scientific engineering cooperation projects
in the world. France is the
location of the ITER project construction and headquarters, while
China is one of the seven equal
member parties of the ITER project, contributing 9.09 percent of
the construction phase and 10 percent of the operation and
decommissioning phase funding.
China joined the ITER
project in 2006. Since the implementation of the project,
China has always adhered to its
international commitments, with Chinese enterprises and researchers
bravely shouldering heavy responsibilities and working together
with international counterparts to contribute Chinese wisdom and
strength to the smooth progress of the project.
The CNNC has been actively involved in the development of
the world's largest "artificial sun." In September 2019, a China-France
consortium led by the CNNC signed the TAC-1 installation contract
with the ITER, marking China's
deep involvement in the installation of the core equipment of the
tokamak device - the "heart" of the experimental
reactor.
On February 29, 2024,
the ITER organization signed a new the vacuum chamber module
assembly contract with the consortium. China will once again undertake the
installation of the core equipment, contributing wisdom and
strength to the ITER project alongside France.
Shen Yanfeng, General Manager of the CNNC, said that the signing
of the agreement means that the China-France
consortium led by the CNNC has become the sole contractor for the
main host installation of the ITER project. This demonstrates the
CNNC's commitment to implementing President Xi's important
instructions, opening up to the outside world, deeply participating
in the global nuclear industry chain cooperation, building a new
development pattern, promoting high-quality development of the
nuclear industry, accelerating the advancement of China's modernization, and striving to create
a vivid practice of a global community of shared future for
mankind.
This will greatly enhance China's participation and contribution in
international large-scale scientific projects, and help implement
the "three-step" development strategy of nuclear energy - thermal
reactors, fast reactors, and fusion reactors, Shen said.
Direction for nuclear energy development
The release of the "bluebook" undoubtedly takes the cooperation
between China and France in the nuclear energy field to a new
level.
The Global Times learned that the "bluebook" is the first
strategic planning soft science cooperation between Chinese
state-owned nuclear energy enterprises and partners in developed
Western countries in recent years, marking a significant increase
in China's nuclear industry
strategic planning and soft science research capabilities and
international influence, with obvious uniqueness and
importance.
"The 'bluebook' is cooperation between China and France at the strategic research level in the
field of nuclear energy, which has never happened before. It was
included in the plan during French President Macron's visit to
China in 2023," Luo Qingping,
President of the China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy under
CNNC, told the Global Times.
The release of the "bluebook" at the historical moment of the
60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between China and France can also be seen as the opening of a
new chapter in the nuclear energy cooperation of the two countries.
In the future, China and
France can combine the contents of
the "bluebook" to deepen cooperation in promoting nuclear energy
development, including cooperation in exploring third-party
markets.
The Global Times found that the "bluebook" interprets the
development ideas and practices of China and France in the field of nuclear energy through
historical reviews and strategic research, providing an in-depth
analysis of the future nuclear energy industry from a macro
perspective.
The research mainly covers the current global status and trends
of nuclear energy development, the role of nuclear power in
addressing the climate change, progress in nuclear power safety and
related technology standards, and measures to enhance the economic
efficiency of nuclear power coupled with other new energy sources,
systematically describing the current status of nuclear energy
development and good practices in China and France.
In addition, the "bluebook" fully demonstrates China's strength in nuclear power
construction, including its strength in third-generation nuclear
power, fourth-generation nuclear power, small modular reactors, and
the entire industry chain service capabilities.
It also describes important nuclear power products in
China, such as the Hualong
One, Linglong One, high-temperature reactors, and fast reactors,
making it easier for the international community to understand
China's nuclear power technology
and product capabilities.
The release of the "bluebook" can expand the influence of
Chinese nuclear power companies, especially the CNNC. Through
the preparation of the "bluebook," China and France can reach a consensus on nuclear energy
technology at the strategic level and enhance the international
influence of nuclear energy technology in both countries.
The "bluebook" proposes three initiatives. First, China and France jointly advocate that every country in
the world has the right to develop nuclear power, but safety must
be the top priority in the development process, meaning that
nuclear power must be developed under reliable safety supervision.
Second, it points out to the world that nuclear energy can
effectively support low-carbon development. China's future nuclear energy technologies
such as small modular reactors and nuclear fusion are important
solutions to the global energy problem. Third, it calls for urgent
action to address the crisis caused by climate change, emphasizing
that energy transformation is imperative, and the development of
nuclear power is undoubtedly an effective approach.
Based on this "bluebook," there is a possibility of creating an
internationally significant guiding document. The IAEA is also
very interested in this "bluebook." Next, the CNNC will communicate
with the IAEA to try to include the "bluebook" in their publication
list for global promotion.
A green future for humanity
According to data in the "bluebook," as of the end of
December 2023, France has an installed nuclear power capacity
of 61.37 gigawatts in operation, ranking second in the world,
with an additional 1.63 gigawatts under construction. China has an installed nuclear power capacity
of 53.15 gigawatts in operation, ranking third in the world, with
an additional 23.72 gigawatts under construction. Both China and France are major nuclear energy-producing
countries, with CNNC and EDF as key players in global nuclear
energy development, each having their own advantages in nuclear
power construction, operation, maintenance, and fuel supply,
accumulating rich experience in the development of nuclear
energy.
The continued cooperation between the two countries will provide
strong momentum for the utilization and development of global clean
energy technologies. China and
France will continue to deepen
cooperation in multiple areas such as nuclear engineering, nuclear
power operation, and nuclear fuel cycle. They will promote the
synergy between nuclear energy and renewable energy, formulate
public policies focusing on low-carbon growth, accelerate the
development of renewable energy such as hydropower, wind power,
solar power, and geothermal energy, extend the lifespan of
existing nuclear power plants, initiate new nuclear power
construction projects, and optimize the cost of energy
transition.
Furthermore, the two sides will cooperate to promote advanced
nuclear energy technologies such as small modular reactors and
fusion reactors. They will work together to advance the commercial
deployment of small modular reactors. They will also strengthen
international cooperation in the field of nuclear fusion research,
the Global Times learned from the CNNC.
At the same time, they will promote the comprehensive
application of nuclear energy, popularize technologies such as
nuclear heating, seawater desalination, and hydrogen production,
diversify the forms of nuclear energy utilization, and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
They will also conduct research on the impact of climate change
using nuclear technology, playing a special role in addressing
issues such as water scarcity, soil erosion, land degradation, and
increased diseases and pests in plants and animals caused by
climate change.
Looking to the future, the CNNC and the EDF have
reached a consensus that nuclear energy development is a realistic
and important choice in the transition to a clean, low-carbon,
safe, and efficient modern energy system, especially as nuclear
energy expands from electricity generation to heating, steam
supply, hydrogen production, and other applications, potentially
accelerating the decarbonization of high-emission industries. The
deepening cooperation in the nuclear energy field between
China and France will undoubtedly bring more solutions
and surprises to humanity.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202405/1311735.shtml
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SOURCE Global Times