Mr. Chairman,

My remarks relate specifically to Japan’s discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the ocean. Last week, TEPCO initiated the fourth discharge. The ongoing discharge during this Board of Governors meeting will release another 7,800 tons of nuclear contaminated water into the ocean. In total disregard of the opposition from the neighboring countries and the concerns of the international community, Japan has, without any authorization, released into the ocean over 23,000 tons of nuclear contaminated water.

Never before has any country dared to defy the whole world and impose on it the risk of nuclear contamination in such a way. The discharge of the nuclear contaminated water produces unprecedented spillover effects, which extend far beyond Japan's territory or its scope of jurisdiction and is by no means a private affair of Japan only. The discharge by Japan constitutes a severe impact on the international nuclear safety system. By trying to seek the IAEA endorsement, Japan’s act has severely harmed the credibility of the Agency.

China's position on the disposal of the nuclear contaminated water from Fukushima has always been consistent and clear. We resolutely oppose the discharge by Japan and strongly urge Japan to stop it. In response to Japan's insistence on proceeding with the discharge activities, China, out of a high sense of responsibility towards the global marine environment and public health, has taken the lead in advocating stringent and effective international supervision and monitoring over Japan’s discharge. It is precisely because of the firm demands and continuous efforts by stakeholders like China that the IAEA has made international monitoring arrangements on the discharge of nuclear contaminated water from Fukushima. China supports and actively participates in IAEA Secretariat's monitoring efforts in Fukushima. We are also maintaining communications with Japan on this issue. China's demands and support represent crucial contributions to international supervision and monitoring of the Japan’s discharge. The substantive involvement of stakeholders like China is essential for ensuring the truly stringent, independent, and effective implementation of international monitoring arrangements.

In the discussions with the IAEA Secretariat and Japan, China has raised questions regarding the legitimacy and safety of the Fukushima discharge, potential hazards such as biological magnification, the long-term reliability of Japan's purification facilities, the authenticity and accuracy of the data related to the contaminated water, and the effectiveness of existing monitoring arrangements. China emphasizes that TEPCO's long-standing lack of credibility, mismanagement, and inadequate regulation render Japan's claims of "safety and reliability" regarding the discharge utterly unconvincing. Recent incidents such as the impact of the earthquake in Noto,  the nuclear contaminated water splashing on the workers at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, and the leakage of large amount of nuclear contaminated water from Fukushima purification facilities further corroborate the serious concerns expressed by China and the international community and further demonstrate the necessity to strengthen international supervision on Japan’s discharge.

How to address the issue of Fukushima discharge is both a scientific challenge and a matter of attitude. China urges Japan to take seriously the domestic and international concerns, fully cooperate in establishing truly independent and effective long-term international monitoring arrangements with the participation of important stakeholders including the neighboring countries, address their legitimate concerns and properly dispose of the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water in order to prevent lasting harm to the global marine environment and public health. China is willing to continue strengthening communication and cooperation with all parties including Japan, support and actively participate in the IAEA monitoring efforts, and continuously strengthen the monitoring arrangement over Japan’s discharge, so as to return clean and safe oceans to all countries.