Participants at Nuclear Energy Summit pledge safe, affordable nuclear energy

PARIS -- More than 30 countries, including France, China, Canada and Japan, have pledged to advance nuclear innovation and support nuclear development and capacity-building at the second Nuclear Energy Summit, which concluded Tuesday in Paris.

Heads of state, government leaders and senior representatives from over 30 countries, as well as heads of relevant international organizations, attended the summit and issued a joint statement titled "Safe and affordable nuclear energy for all."

In the statement, participants pledged to continue advancing technological innovation, further improve the operational performance, safety and economic viability of nuclear power plants, strengthen the resilience and security of the global nuclear energy industry and its supply chains, and make positive contributions to local industrial development, stakeholder engagement and capacity-building efforts, particularly in countries that are new to or exploring nuclear energy.

Meanwhile, China's international nuclear cooperation drew strong interest and praises from participants at the summit hosted by France and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Since the 1980s, French electric utility company EDF has maintained cooperation with China in the nuclear sector. Speaking at the summit, EDF Chairman and CEO Bernard Fontana said that the decarbonization of the economy, rising energy costs, and the expansion of data centers and artificial intelligence are making nuclear energy one of the key solutions.

Referring to faster project delivery and cost control, he noted that Chinese partners have shared their successful experience while expressing his gratitude to the Chinese side for its efforts in advancing the existing cooperation.

Pang Songtao, president of the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGNPC), also said the development of CGNPC began with the China-France cooperation on the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, followed by the joint construction of the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant with France.

CGNPC will continue to expand its overseas cooperation, actively integrating into the Belt and Road Initiative's clean energy industry ecosystem, and continuously providing the world with safe, stable, green and clean energy, he added.

Gaspard Liyoko Mboyo, chairman of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy, said China is moving forward in nuclear energy, which the African continent has significant demand. It creates possibilities for cooperation between Africa and China, the chairman noted.