China-Pakistan nuclear co-op 'peaceful'

BEIJING -- Cooperation between China and Pakistan on nuclear energy is for exclusively peaceful purposes and in the interests of local people, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Monday.

China and Pakistan have cooperated on civilian nuclear energy for years, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news briefing, with regard to construction of a nuclear power plant in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi.

"Such cooperation is entirely for peaceful purposes, in line with international obligations, and subject to the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency," she said.

The work helps to ease Pakistan's electricity shortage and is in the interest of local people. China will continue to provide assistance within its ability, Hua said.

Stressing that China attaches great importance to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, Hua said China cooperates with various countries in this regard on the premise of strict adherence to nonproliferation.

Construction of Pakistan's largest nuclear power project with the Chinese cooperation was launched in Karachi on November 26. According to local media reports, the Coastal Power Projects K-II and K-III are designed to produce 2,200 megawatts of electricity when completed in November 2019.