Taming the nuclear dragon? The prospect and potential of cross-Strait cooperation on nuclear security

Abstract

After the Fukushima tragedy in March 2001, China and Taiwan have launched a series of negotiations on nuclear safety and eventually signed an agreement building a bilateral alarming and information-sharing system in October 2011. Although this agreement was criticized by the Taiwan public because of its non-binding character, it embodied three significant implications. First, this agreement represents China's willingness and demands to be better incorporated into global nuclear regimes. Second, this platform may set a foundation for smoother cross-Strait negotiation along with the environmental peace-making road map. Third, this information-sharing system may contain democratic elements and thus may contribute to opening China's policy black box to its neighbours and its own citizens.

Keywords:

• 12th Five-Year Plan
• nuclear governance
• Chiang-Chen meeting
• environmental peacemaking
• transnational cooperation
• nuclear safety
• China

Acknowledgement

The authors thank the funding of National Science Council, Taiwan (NSC 100-3113-P-006-009).

Notes

1. Taiwan Post, 12 April 2011. http://www.taiwanpost.com/online/2011/04/522.html

2. China Daily, 28 June 2011. http://www.china.org.cn/environment/2011-06/28/content_22872860.htm

3. This idea was initiated in the Seventh Annual Forum of cross-Strait.

4. This series of meeting was named after the Taiwanese representative Chiang Bingkun, the director of Strait Exchange Foundation, and Chinese representative Chen Yunlin, the Strait Exchange Association.

5. See the Director Tsai's statement on the AEC website. 17 September 2010. http://www.aec.gov.tw/www/news/article.php?id=2200&seledtype=2

6. See the news from China Times, 11 October 2011. http://e-info.org.tw/node/70904

7. Radio Free Asia, 15 June 2010. http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/leak-06152010171943.html

8. Taiwan Lihpao, 19 October 2011. http://www.lihpao.com/?action-viewnews-itemid-111850

9. World Nuclear News, ‘Maintain Nuclear Perspective, China Told’, 11 January 2011. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP_Maintain_nuclear_perspective_China_told_1101112.html

10. Vancouver Suns, China's Nuclear Plan Slowed, Not Stopped, by Japan Quake, 21 March 2011. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=b5f94bc6-3d94-429d-9efe-49d4e7e613b0&k=52427

11. World Nuclear Association, Nuclear Power in China Appendix 1. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf63ai_chinanuclearstructure.html