Department of Energy (DOE) officials said the agency has adopted national security measures designed to prevent China’s diversion of U.S. civil nuclear technology for military or other unauthorized purposes.
“The United States cannot ignore the national security implications of China’s efforts to obtain nuclear technology outside of established processes of U.S.-China civil nuclear cooperation,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said.
Officials said the policy guidance establishes a clear framework for the disposition of DOE’s 10 CFR Part 810 authorization requests for transfers to China that are currently on hold because of military diversion and proliferation concerns.
The actions stem from a U.S. government policy review prompted by concerns about China’s attempts to obtain nuclear material, equipment, and advanced technology from U.S. companies.
The provisions include a presumption of denial for new license applications or extensions to existing authorizations related to the China General Nuclear Power Group, officials said, which is currently under indictment for conspiring to steal U.S. nuclear technology.
The measures are necessary to strike a balance between the long-term risk to U.S. national security and economic interests, authorities noted, as well as the immediate impact to the U.S. nuclear industrial base. The Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration, FBI, Intelligence Community, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Department of State all participated in the policy review, which was led by the National Security Council.