Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to nuclear safety. It is firmly committed to strengthening the nuclear safety and always regards nuclear safety as an important national responsibility. It has always developed the nuclear industry subject to considerations of safety, implemented independent regulation in accordance with the strictest standards. We continuously promote innovation-driven progress in nuclear safety and have established a comprehensive nuclear safety governance system featuring legal norms, administrative regulation, industry self-discipline, technical support, personnel support, cultural guidance, public participation and international cooperation as the pillars. China adheres to the highest international standards and best practices in actively, safely, and orderly developing nuclear power. Both the government and enterprises consistently treat nuclear safety as a lifeline. We uphold the policy of “safety first and quality first” in developing the nuclear industry, and persistently advance the development of a strong nuclear safety culture, integrating it into decision-making, regulatory oversight and operational management. The operational performance indicators of China’s nuclear power plants have consistently ranked among the world’s leading levels. For many consecutive years, there had been no incidents or accidents at or above Level 2 under the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). Public health and environmental safety have been effectively safeguarded.

China supports the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in playing a central role in international nuclear safety cooperation. We attach great importance to intergovernmental exchanges on nuclear safety policies and practical cooperation, and actively participate in international peer reviews on nuclear safety, benchmark ourselves against international standards and best practices, improve together, broaden platforms for international cooperation, and introduce China’s nuclear safety regulatory experience. China actively expands bilateral and multilateral cooperation on nuclear safety, advocating the development of an international nuclear safety system characterized by fairness, cooperation, and mutual benefit, providing more international public goods to enhance global nuclear safety, and contributing China’s wisdom and strength to global nuclear safety governance.

Mr. Chairman,

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. The accident interrupted the momentum of global nuclear energy development, dealt a heavy blow to the international community’s confidence in nuclear safety, and compelled many countries to re-evaluate their nuclear energy policies, investing additional time and higher costs before resuming nuclear energy development. While triggered by a natural disaster, the Fukushima accident was in essence a man-made disaster. It exposed serious shortcomings in Japan’s nuclear regulatory system and a grave deficiency in nuclear safety culture. The lessons learned are extremely profound for Japan.

In the subsequent handling of the Fukushima accident, Japan, disregarding strong concerns and opposition from the international community, especially neighbouring countries, has proceeded with the discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean, thereby transferring nuclear safety risks beyond its borders. Such actions are highly irresponsible and contrary to international moral responsibility. China firmly opposes Japan’s discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea. China supports the IAEA in establishing and continuously strengthening an independent, objective, and effective long-term international monitoring mechanism. China has actively participated in independent sampling and monitoring and inter-laboratory comparisons under the IAEA framework, so as to ensure that Japan’s discharge will not cause long-term harm to the global marine environment and public health. To further uphold the professionalism and independence of the agency, we support all stakeholders in playing a greater role in international monitoring and offer suggestions on developing monitoring plans and increasing monitoring sites.

It must be pointed out that the discharge of contaminated water into the ocean is merely a disgraceful first step in the long-term process of handling the Fukushima nuclear accident. Over the past 15 years, numerous cases of misconduct, fraud, and radioactive substance leaks involving nuclear power companies such as Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) have been exposed. Just recently, another negative news emerged in Japan's nuclear industry. At the end of 2025, Chubu Electric Power admitted to organized and systematic falsification during the application process to restart the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, a misconduct that lasted eight years until an internal whistleblower alerted Japan's nuclear safety regulatory body. Even so, Japan continues to disregard domestic public criticism and opposition, accelerating the restart process for economic gain, a matter that deserves serious attention from the international community.

The Fukushima nuclear accident was a disaster that occurred in Japan. The follow-up handling of the accident and preventing its impacts on the global ecological environment are Japan’s responsibilities; however, it is by no means Japan’s matter alone. The international community has every reason to maintain close attention, and the IAEA has an inescapable responsibility in this regard. Japan must have the courage to face history squarely and earnestly draw lessons from the painful experience. Japan should hold a strong sense of responsibility to its own people and to the course of nuclear energy development, Japan should effectively strengthen nuclear safety regulation at the national level, enhance regulation of nuclear power operators, strengthen nuclear safety, eliminate potential safety risks, consciously accept international supervision and maintain a high degree of transparency. This would be the appropriate course of action, rather than seeking to obscure problems or downplay their seriousness.

At present, against the backdrop of a global energy crisis and the pressing challenges of climate change, the renaissance of nuclear energy has become an inevitable pathway for promoting global green development and energy transition, and is embracing significant development opportunities. On the 15th anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear accident, the concerted efforts of the IAEA and Member States to actively address the long-term challenges of the Fukushima nuclear accident's aftermath are of particular and important practical significance. China supports the IAEA in actively fulfilling its responsibilities, maintaining long-term review of all aspects of the Fukushima nuclear accident processing, and assisting and supervising Japan in addressing the complex challenges of the Fukushima nuclear power plant decommissioning and high-level radioactive waste disposal, in accordance with the highest global nuclear safety standards, strictest requirements, and best practices of Member States. This will enhance global confidence in nuclear safety and contribute to the global nuclear energy resurgence.

China is willing to leverage its technological and managerial advantages to actively participate in this process. We call on the IAEA and Member States to uphold a rational, coordinated, and balanced approach to nuclear safety, earnestly fulfill their mission to safeguard nuclear safety, continuously strengthen their commitment to ensuring public health and environmental safety, and safeguard the safe, healthy, and sustainable development of the nuclear industry with a people-centered approach, so as to jointly build a community with a shared future for nuclear safety for mankind.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.