China-ASEAN Nuclear Technology Forum Expands Irradiation and Isotope Cooperation

Recently, the Fourth China—ASEAN Forum on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with more than 170 representatives from 10 countries exchanging views on civil nuclear energy and nuclear technology applications. Under the theme of “Nuclear Beauty for Our Home,” the forum was hosted by the China Atomic Energy Authority, co-organized by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia, and undertaken by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). For the first time, representatives from member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council were invited to attend, further expanding the scope of regional exchanges.

Industrial application was an important topic of this forum. The forum featured four thematic roundtable discussions on civil nuclear energy development, nuclear technology empowering industry and modern agriculture, nuclear technology empowering healthcare, and nuclear science and technology education and joint training of local talent. Representatives from various countries, drawing on their own development practices, exchanged views on small reactor innovation, the irradiation industry, isotope medical applications, and talent cultivation, and discussed cooperation needs in different application fields.

Policy and technical exchanges were advanced in parallel through country reports and achievement displays. Representatives from China, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries introduced the current status and plans for sustainable nuclear energy development and proposed cooperation initiatives. A concurrent China Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Technology Achievement Exhibition showcased relevant achievements and application practices, providing a window for exchange for all participants to learn about technological capabilities and application directions.

During the forum, the Chinese side held consultations with competent authorities of relevant countries on nuclear energy development infrastructure, nuclear regulatory capacity building, promotion of nuclear technology applications, and joint construction of scientific research platforms, reaching multiple cooperation consensuses. The exchange arrangements formed around policy alignment, industrial collaboration, scientific and technological research, and joint talent cultivation continue to push China's cooperation with regional countries on the peaceful uses of nuclear technology toward specific application fields.