Abstract
Actual Chinese policy towards nuclear proliferation can be summed up in one figure: China wants to double its nuclear power capacity by 2020. Admittedly it will stands for "only" 5% of its energy mix, even though there are 24 reactors under construction in China at the beginning July 2009. When one knows that with 58 reactors France (63 GW installed capacity) produces about 80% of its energy, then one can realize the importance of Chinese nuclear policy. This policy comes from such statements: "Coal does not match the energy needed to cope with the dramatic growth (not to mention pollution, safety and transport issues), hydraulic raise localization issues and gas and oil are mostly imported." Thus in 2005, the National People Congress decided to raise the objectives for 2020: from 40 GW to 70 GW for the installed capacity and from 18 GW to 30 GW for the capacity to be under construction at that time. The underlying perspective is to develop the nuclear power so as to reach the global average of 20% of the country's production provided by nuclear plants; that means a 250 GW capacity within 2050, compared to 9 GW today.
