'India, US criticism to obstruct China-Pak nuke cooperation'

Describing Indian and US criticism of China's controversial plan to build two 1,100-MW nuclear reactors in Karachi as unjustified, a Chinese expert has said such concerns are aimed at "obstructing" China-Pakistan cooperation.
"This cooperation will ease Pakistan's shortage of energy and deepen bilateral strategic partnership between China and Pakistan," Chen Jidong, executive director of the Pakistan Study Centre at Sichuan University, said in an article published in the state-run Global Times.
"These concerns are nothing but obstruction of nuclear cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad. If people worry such cooperation may turn to military uses, then the cooperation between the US and India should also generate the same concerns," he wrote.

China will extend a USD 6.5-billion loan for the major nuclear project and has already waived a USD 250,000 insurance premium on the loan.
The China National Nuclear Corporation has promised to finance the project with two reactors. Each reactor's output of 1,100 MW will be larger than the combined power of all operating reactors in Pakistan, he wrote.
Defending China's move to build the plants, the article said "a number of joint declarations signed by the two countries have shown their plans for civilian nuclear cooperation".

"By aiding Pakistan through civilian nuclear programs, Chinese nuclear companies can secure more business deals with Pakistan to help Islamabad in meeting the demands for civilian use of nuclear power," it said.

Chen's observations prompted analysts here to question whether he was hinting at more nuclear plants coming up in Pakistan in future.
Referring to Indian and US concerns over the project, the article pointed to their landmark nuclear deal to justify nuclear cooperation between China and Pakistan without referring to the process of approvals from the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Under the deal, India agreed to separate its civilian and military facilities and to place civilian atomic plants under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, whereas the China-Pakistan deal has no such obligations.
Chen's article, however, acknowledged the world community's fears related to "worries over Pakistan's history of nuclear proliferation".