Distinguished Mr. Chair,

The Chinese delegation associates itself with the statement made by the distinguished ambassador of Morocco on behalf of G77 and China.

The Chinese delegation thanks the efforts of the Secretariat for preparing the Nuclear Security Report. China appreciates that over the past year, despite the negative impact of the pandemic, the Secretariat had carried out a large amount of fruitful work in the field of nuclear security, particularly in promoting the universality and effective implementation of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and the Amendment, successfully convening the first Review Conference of Parties to the Amendment, revising and publishing 4 guidelines on nuclear security, conducting 51 nuclear security training courses and 42 online seminars and providing technical support in nuclear security for major public events in 8 Member States, thus making active contribution to steadily enhancing the capacity building in nuclear security in Member States.

Mr. Chair,

In contrast to the previous years, this year’s Nuclear Security Report does not contain information on the donor States to the Nuclear Security Fund, the donations amount or uses of donations. China hopes that the Secretariat would incorporate this information at the appropriate time and keep the Member States informed on donations to the Nuclear Security Fund and their uses. Furthermore, in view that every year the Board of Governors also considers the Nuclear Security Review, we hope that the Secretariat properly handle the relationship between the Nuclear Security Report and the Nuclear Security Review, to ensure they are mutually reinforcing but with different focuses and without repetitions.

Mr. Chair,

The Chinese government always gives priority to nuclear security and follows a rational, coordinated and balanced notion of nuclear security to strengthen its national responsibility for enhancing its capacity to address threats of nuclear terrorism by exercising stringent control of the production, processing, transporting and use of nuclear and radioactive material, vigorously developing a nuclear security culture, regularly conducting emergency response exercises in nuclear security.

China supports the central role of the Agency in promoting international cooperation in nuclear security, actively engages in cooperation with the Agency and other Member States I nuclear security and earnestly fulfils its international obligations for nuclear security. In July 2022, China held with the Agency the Seminar on the Development and Use of Advanced Detection Techniques to exchange experience on the development and use of radiation detections techniques, thus making active contribution to enhancing the capacity for nuclear security in the region.

Mr. Chair,

In the past 11 years since 2011, China has contributed to the Agency’s Nuclear Security Fund every year to support the Agency’s work for nuclear security. This year the Chinese government will once again contribute to the Fund. China hopes that the Secretariat would strengthen its internal management to effectively improve the efficiency and effectiveness in the use of the Nuclear Security Fund, including that of the contributions from China, particularly to play an active role in helping the Member States enhance their capacity in nuclear security.

China is pleased to note the smooth progress made in the IAEA Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Centre in Seibersdorf. China supports the construction and development of the centre and is now in active contact with the Secretariat for the donation of technical equipment for nuclear security to support the development and sustainable operation of the centre. At he same time, China is ready to share with other Member States China’s technology and experience to contribute to the enhancement of their nuclear security capacity by making uses of the Nuclear Security Technology Collaborating Centre and the Collaborating Centre for Nuclear Security Capacity Building for Frontline Customs Officers.

Mr. Chair, 

In the face of challenges in the current complex international situation, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Security Initiative at this year’s Bo’Ao Asia Forum, calling for sticking to a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept to jointly maintain peace and security in the world. China stands ready to strengthen its cooperation with the IAEA and its Member States in a joint effort to continuously enhance and improve the international nuclear security system to effectively address the threats of nuclear terrorism and preserve  world peace and tranquillity.

With the above comments, the Chinese delegation takes note of the Nuclear Security Report as contained in GOV/2022/31.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.