Chinese engineers on Saturday started loading fuel into the second power generation unit of the country's Zhangzhou nuclear power project in eastern Fujian Province.
The fuel loading process is a critical step that separates non-nuclear tests from nuclear tests and is one of the final stages before grid connection and commercial power generation.
The Zhangzhou nuclear power project is China's largest base using Hualong One technology, a domestically-developed third-generation reactor design. The project consists of six nuclear power units, with Unit 1 already in commercial operation and Unit 2 expected to begin generating electricity in the fourth quarter of this year.
Once completed, the first phrase of the Zhangzhou nuclear power project will deliver 20 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually.
"The Unit 1 of the first phrase has been put into commercial operation and is operating smoothly. Unit 2 is in the final sprint toward commercial operation, and it is expected to be completed for commercial operation this year. Construction of Units 3 and 4 under Phase II is also progressing rapidly, with civil construction at their peak," said Huo Xiaodong, deputy general manager of China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd. and chief designer of the Hualong One reactor.
Each Hualong One nuclear power unit can produce more than 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, enough to meet the electricity needs of one million people in a moderately developed country. This is the equivalent of reducing standard coal consumption by 3.12 million tonnes annually and carbon dioxide emissions by 8.16 million tonnes per year.
China's Hualong One has become the world's most deployed third-generation nuclear reactor technology, with 41 units currently in operation or under construction globally.
China starts loading fuel into Zhangzhou nuclear power plant's Unit 2
Palestine appreciates China's constructive role in promoting the political settlement of the Palestinian issue, Ambassador of Palestine to China Jawad Mohammed Qutish Awad said in Beijing on Friday.
When jointly meeting the press with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron in Beijing on Thursday, President Xi Jinping announced China will provide 100 million U.S. dollars of assistance to Palestine to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support its recovery and reconstruction.
"Following two years of devastating war, over 90 percent of Gaza Strip's housing, infrastructure, hospitals, roads, and universities have been destroyed. China has consistently supported Palestine in various fields such as politics, economy, and development. This generous donation comes as timely aid for the Palestinian government and people," said the ambassador in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV).
More than 70,000 Palestinian people have been killed since the conflict in Gaza erupted on Oct 7, 2023, with millions suffering from extreme poverty and catastrophic hunger.
China has reiterated its support for the Palestinian liberation cause on multiple international occasions, firmly believing that the two-state solution remains the only realistic path to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
Through channels including the United Nations, Egypt, and Jordan, China has provided multiple batches of emergency humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip and extended material and financial support to the Palestinian Authority and other relevant parties. China has also emphasized that it is important to uphold the principle of "the Palestinians governing Palestine" in the post-conflict governance of Gaza.
"We attach great importance to China's support for the two-state solution. Without the establishment of the State of Palestine, regional stability cannot be achieved. Gaza must be an inalienable part of the future Palestinian state. I would also like to reiterate here that the State of Palestine firmly supports the one-China principle," Jawad said.
China, one of the first countries to recognize the State of Palestine, established the strategic partnership with Palestine in 2023.
After countries including the United Kingdom, France, and Canada recognized the State of Palestine in September this year, the number of countries in the international community recognizing the State of Palestine has reached nearly 160, accounting for over 81 percent of the United Nations member states.
An increasing number of countries are looking to advance a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza through cooperation.
Jawad said that the China-proposed Global Governance Initiative offers the international community a more effective path to resolving the Palestinian issue.
"This initiative aligns with the strategic agreements between Palestine and China, contributing to ending Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory and establishing the State of Palestine across all Palestinian territory. Without a just resolution to the Palestinian issue, neither the world nor the Middle East can achieve stability. The key to a just resolution lies in the implementation of international law," he said.
Palestine appreciates China's role in promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace process: ambassador
