( April 2, 2016, Boston, Sri Lanka Guardian) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for strengthening global nuclear security and promoting worldwide governance on nuclear security.
In a speech at the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, Xi said that countries should build international consensus on enhanced nuclear security, have zero-tolerance for nuclear terrorism with no discrimination, and give an effective response to new challenges and threats.
“As a Chinese saying goes, ‘For a tree to grow tall, it needs to have deep roots’. And we have always wanted to find a solution that addresses the root cause of the problem,” Xi said.
He called on countries to plan and implement nuclear security strategy, formulate mid- and-longterm development plans for nuclear security, improve nuclear security legislation and monitoring mechanism, and ensure that relevant work receives sufficient input and support, at the national level.
“All countries should participate in nuclear security affairs, and adopt an open and inclusive spirit to forge a community of shared future on nuclear security,” he said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency can play a central role to coordinate and consolidate global resources for nuclear security, and the United Nations can continue to play an important role, he added.
Full text of Xi’s speech at the Fourth Nuclear Security Summit follows;
Dear Colleagues,
As the largest developing country, China has always been committed to development and utilization of nuclear energy while ensuring security in the first place. This is to bridge the gap in energy supply, and address the challenges posed by climate change. China is the country with the fastest growth of nuclear power. At the same time, it has kept a good record of nuclear security. Since the Summit in The Hague, China has made new progress in the field of nuclear security.
– In pursuit of excellence through constant improvement, China has strived to explore effective ways to strengthen nuclear security. We have already incorporated nuclear security in China’s national security system, written it into the National Security Law and defined its strategic nature. We are constantly improving the national legal framework concerning nuclear security and studying the promulgation of law on atomic energy and law on nuclear security. We have formulated and implemented the mid-to-long term work plan on nuclear security, and we are making efforts to improve monitoring and law-enforcement mechanisms, carry out capacity building for all personnel in this industry and organize various kinds of mock exercises to raise the ability of emergency response.
– Keeping its promise on nuclear security, China has fulfilled its international obligations and political commitment. China has ratified all the international legal instruments in the field of nuclear security, consistently and strictly implemented related Security Council resolutions, and actively supported and participated in international initiatives on nuclear security. The Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security I promised at the Summit in The Hague has been completed a year ahead of schedule and is now operational in Beijing; the highly enriched uranium (HEU)-fueled Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) of the China Institute of Atomic Energy has been smoothly converted to start using safer Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuels; and positive progress has been made in the Chinese-assisted program to convert a HEU-fueled research reactor in Ghana.
– Aspiring for win-win cooperation, China is vigorously promoting international exchanges and cooperation. China firmly supports the IAEA in implementing the Action Plan on Nuclear Safety and will increase donations to the Nuclear Security Fund. China and the IAEA have agreed to officially start implementing the first International Physical Protection Advisory Service this year. This February, China and the United States successfully held the first annual Nuclear Security Dialogue. We will also deepen our exchanges and cooperation with other countries, the UN and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.
While stepping up its own nuclear security, China will actively advance related international cooperation, share its technologies and expertise and contribute resources and platforms. I hereby announce:
First, China will build a network for capacity building on nuclear security. We will use existing platforms including the Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security and the China Customs Radiation Detection Training Center to carry out training of nuclear security professionals, exercises and exchanges regarding nuclear security technologies and other activities. We welcome the participation of Asia Pacific countries, countries along the Belt and Road and other developing countries in relevant projects and will stay in close cooperation with the IAEA.
Second, China will promote cooperation model for less use of HEU. We support all countries in minimizing the use of HEU according to their needs as long as it is economically and technologically viable. We are willing to build on the Ghana model and help countries convert HEU-fueled MNSR imported from China under the principle of voluntarism and pragmatism. We will present to other interested countries the multi-party cooperation model for converting HEU-fueled MNSR for their reference.
Third, China will implement the action plan on strengthening security of radioactive sources. To prevent the large amount of radioactive sources from falling into the hands of terrorists, we will, in the coming five years, review the radioactive sources within China, improve the security system and give priority to conducting real-time monitoring of high-risk mobile radioactive sources. We stand ready to share our experience with other countries and work with them to enhance the security monitoring of radioactive sources.
Fourth, China will launch the technological support initiative against crisis of nuclear terrorism. We will, together with like-minded countries and organizations, carry out scientific research in the fields of civilian nuclear material analysis and tracing, actively organize mock exercises and jointly enhance our capacity for addressing crisis.
Fifth, China will promote its national security monitoring system for nuclear power. China applies the most stringent security monitoring to ensure the safety and security of the nuclear power stations within China and those exported to other parts of the world. Nothing is left to chance. Relying on the National Research and Development Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety and Security Monitoring Technologies, we will help others enhance their capacity in security monitoring and contribute our share to enhancing nuclear power safety and security worldwide.
Dear Colleagues,
What we plant in spring will blossom in summer, come to fruition in autumn and sustain us throughout the winter. The more we plough, the more we will gain. As long as we cooperate in good faith and continue to step up nuclear security, nuclear energy will certainly deliver a brighter future to mankind.
Apr 03, 2016
And then we have the story of a Sri Lankan ambassador – a political appointee in an Asian capital – who is in his early 70s proving we have no age discrimination in our foreign service. But that is certainly not due to the paucity of younger professionals in the ranks of the public and private sectors or younger career diplomats in our foreign service. As with earlier diplomatic appointments, history has a way of repeating itself, first as tragedy, then as tragi-comedy.
