Concerns about China selling outdated n-technology to Pakistan

Beijing: There is growing concern about China shipping decades-old nuclear technology to its strategic ally Pakistan, even as it suspended approvals for new nuclear power plants at home pending review of safety standards following the recent earthquake/tsunami disaster in Japan. Despite strong advice to the contrary from a number of nations, China is determined to move ahead with a deal to supply two additional nuclear reactors for the Pakistani Chashma nuclear complex.

The earthquake/tsunami-sparked nuclear disaster in Japan has sparked safety reviews around the world and all nuclear powers are now taking a close look at the technologies and safety feature of the various generations of the nuclear technology they deploy.

China has earlier supplied two reactors for the complex. There is widespread concern about the proliferation activities of Pakistan in the nuclear field, in tandem with China and Iran.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Jiang Yu, dismissed concerns about exporting out-dated nuclear technology to Pakistan as unrelated, saying there are no direct links to the two issues.  She said Thursday that the Chinese government wants to see "orderly and reasonable" nuclear development in China, and is especially concerned about safety.

As for Pakistan, though, she said only that China and Pakistan's nuclear cooperation has been under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

About the Chashma deal, without expressing outright opposition, American officials have said that should China move ahead with Chashma 3 and 4, these actions would be "inconsistent" with commitments it made when it joined the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2004.