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China mulls setting up nuclear fusion project

BEIJING: The Chinese legislature started here on Friday to discuss an international agreement on implementing the world’s first experimental fusion reactor tabled by the government for approval.

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) has been the largest ever scientific research programme under multinational collaboration. The Euro 11-billion project is aimed at incubating a sustained solution to energy production.

The National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee convened here to mull the Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organisation for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project, which was signed by China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States in November 2006 in France.

A related agreement on the privileges and immunities was also submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for ratification. The voting for the two documents is expected on the coming on Thursday.

The two documents, a safeguard mechanism for China’s equal participation in the ITER project, “bear vital significance in promoting Chinese scientists’ capability in fusion scientific research and technological development,” said Wan Gang Minister of Science and Technology.

The ITER project will cost roughly Euro 11 billion in 35 years in four stages of constructing, operating, exploiting and deactivating the ITER facilities.

China is to take a share of 9.1 per cent of the total ITER budget, which is equal to the financial burden shared by other five participating countries, Mr. Wan said. The E.U. will pay 45.4 per cent of the budget.

Mr. Wan said China will have an equal footing with all participants on deciding key issues of the ITER Organisation, sharing construction, operation as well as research and development activities, obtaining equal opportunities with the all other parties on intellectual property licensing.

After the negotiation, Mr. Wan explained to the legislators that nearly 80 per cent of the Chinese share in the ITER construction budget will be in the form of equipment supplies instead of monetary funding.

China is also required to dispatch scientists and engineers to the ITER Organisation in accordance with its investment proportion.

Representatives from participating parties agreed in June 2005 to choose Cadalache, France, as the first ITER site. — Xinhua

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