China- Pakistan Nuclear Deal
- June 25, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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China- Pakistan Nuclear Deal
Subject : International Relations
Section: Groupings
Concept :
- China and Pakistan signed an agreement on June 20 to establish a 1,200 MW nuclear power facility in Pakistan’s Chashma nuclear complex.
- With a reported value of $4.8 billion, the agreement is critical for Pakistan as it is grappling with an energy and economic downturn.
- The implications of this nuclear deal extend beyond Pakistan, raising concerns about the global regulation of nuclear trade as China proceeded without obtaining required waivers from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
About the deal:
- The new reactor will be the fifth reactor at the Chashma nuclear complex (C-5).
- C-5 will be the biggest reactor at Chashma, where China has already constructed four phases of the complex, with four reactors of around 325 MW each.
- It will use China’s Hualong One reactor, which has also been installed in two plants in Karachi.
- Pakistan is currently operating six China-built nuclear plants, four smaller reactors at the Chashma complex and two at the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP).
- An agreement for KANUPP-3 was signed in 2013, the year Chinese President Xi Jinping launched his Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and became a flagship energy project as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) of the BRI.
NSG Regulation:
- China’s civilian nuclear collaborations with Pakistan have faced scrutiny due to the restrictions imposed by the NSG.
- The NSG prohibits member countries from transferring nuclear technology to nations that haven’t signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
- China Argument :
- Although China became an NSG member in 2004, it argued that the Chashma 3 and Chashma 4 reactors were exempt due to previous agreements with Pakistan predating its NSG membership.
How different is it from the India-U.S. nuclear deal?
- Chinese analysts have attempted to justify this nuclear cooperation by citing the India-U.S. nuclear deal.
- However, there are notable differences between the two cases.
- The India-U.S. deal required a waiver from the NSG, which was granted in 2008, allowing India to participate in global nuclear trade.
- India had to make commitments such as placing facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, separating civilian and military nuclear programs, and maintaining a testing moratorium.
- China, on the other hand, has not sought a waiver from the NSG, and Pakistan has not made similar commitments. China has argued that IAEA safeguards on the reactors would suffice.
- Additionally, China’s opposition has impeded India’s bid to become a full member of the NSG, as China linked India’s membership with that of Pakistan’s in 2015, creating obstacles in the process.
About NSG:
- The 48-member NSG is an elite club of countries that deals with the trade-in nuclear technology and fissile materials besides contributing to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
- Brought in 1974– in response to the Indian nuclear test (smiling Buddha).
- It is a Group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.
- The NSG first met in November 1975 in London, and is thus popularly referred to as the “London Club”.
- Its guidelines are not binding.
Benefits associated with NSG membership :
- Timely information on nuclear matters.
- Contributes by way of information.
- Has confirmed credentials.
- Can act as an instrument of harmonization and coordination.
- Is part of a very transparent process.
Opposition of NSG membership bid:
- China, one of the five nuclear-weapon states, stridently opposes India’s NSG bid primarily on the grounds that New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
- Its opposition has made India’s entry into the group difficult as the NSG works on the principle of consensus.
- Besides, India’s capacity to project its military power beyond the Indian Ocean region is still to be tested. Further, India heavily relies on weaponry imports from US and Russia for its military requirements.
For further reference on IAEA , refer – https://optimizeias.com/international-atomic-energy-agency-iaea/