Beijing to build nuke plants in S China Sea

China has approved the building of its first maritime nuclear power platform in the South China Sea to boost the efficiency of projects in the region where Beijing is locked in disputes with several maritime neighbours.

At least 20 such platforms could be in the pipeline, the influential Global Times quoted an official from the government ship-building industry association as saying. The foreign ministry on Friday said it hadn’t heard of the development.

“The development of the nuclear power platforms is a burgeoning trend,” Liu Zhengguo, director of the general office of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), told the newspaper. Asked about an earlier report that mentioned 20 platforms would be built, Liu said demand will decide the number.

“The exact number of plants to be built (by CSIC) depends on the market demand,” he said.