Chinese vice premier calls for global nuclear cooperation

China

Chinese vice premier calls for global nuclear cooperation

2026-03-12 00:44 Last Updated At：02:17

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing said Tuesday that China is willing to collaborate with all parties to ensure nuclear energy better supports the development and prosperity of all nations.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during the second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris which he attended as Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative.

Zhang said China has always adhered to a sensible, coordinated, and balanced nuclear security strategy proposed by President Xi and has made concrete contributions to promoting the global development of nuclear energy.

China is willing to work with all parties to jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, and promote nuclear energy innovation-driven development, safety foundation building, industrial collaboration and win-win cooperation, so that nuclear energy can better benefit the development and prosperity of all countries, he said.

Zhang noted that China stands ready to join hands with all parties to make new contributions in building a clean, beautiful and sustainable world and a community with a shared future for humanity.

Heads of state, government leaders and senior representatives from over 30 countries, as well as heads of relevant international organizations, attended the summit and issued a joint statement titled "Safe and affordable nuclear energy for all."

Escalating Middle East tensions drive up energy prices, squeezing US consumers

Soaring oil prices triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East have heightened U.S. inflation pressures, with analysts warning that households face hundreds of dollars in extra costs if crude climbs further.

Data released on Tuesday by the American Automobile Association (AAA) showed that the national average price of regular gasoline in the United States has risen 18.64 percent compared with Feb. 26. The AAA data also indicated that the national average price of diesel on Tuesday was up 22.85 percent from a week earlier.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at global ratings agency Moody's, warned that U.S. consumers are being threatened by a sharp rise in fuel prices. He said that if international oil prices climb by another 10 U.S. dollars per barrel, annual spending for an average U.S. household would increase by about 450 dollars.

Zandi noted that a surge in oil prices would intensify inflationary pressure in the United States, eroding consumers' purchasing power and weighing on consumption, economic growth, and employment.

Tensions sharply escalated across the Middle East on Feb 28 when the United States and Israel launched large-scale joint airstrikes on Iran. The Iranian side has responded with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets across the region, hitting many countries in the Gulf.