[Text/Observer Network Qi Qian] A foreign media report recently said that the Trump administration has requested US companies to suspend the sale of nuclear power plant equipment to China.

On June 9, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post cited analysis as saying that this new export restriction would only cause a slight setback for China's nuclear development and would not stop China from increasing its efforts to develop and continue promoting the localization of nuclear power construction. Some analysts also warned that this move could backfire, causing "great harm" to American businesses and making them miss out on the vast Chinese market.

A scholar stated that if the U.S. nuclear equipment export restrictions are true, it means that the Trump administration is becoming even more hardline in its relations with China. Currently, China and the U.S. are still deeply mired in an enduring trade war, and through tit-for-tat bans and other coercive measures, competition between the two countries in the technology sector continues to escalate.

However, analysts also said that stopping the sale of nuclear equipment to China will not change the current state of Sino-U.S. relations and may even backfire because major U.S. nuclear equipment suppliers like Westinghouse Electric and Emerson may lose the vast Chinese market.

"Nuclear power generation is one of the fields where China has made significant progress in replacing imported technologies and components," a researcher at Shenzhen Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences told the South China Morning Post. Restrictions on chip and photolithography machine exports to China might be effective, but nuclear energy is ineffective."

This researcher also said that the new U.S. export restrictions might have a short-term impact on China because China is planning and constructing new nuclear power plants to meet energy needs and achieve economic decarbonization. However, he added that over time, the impact will gradually diminish.

The report pointed out that China is committed to developing a self-sufficient nuclear industry based on domestically designed models. Among the 10 new reactors approved by China this April, eight will use domestically developed third-generation nuclear technology, the Hualong One reactor.

An anonymous researcher said that the new U.S. export ban would cause "great harm" to American companies like Westinghouse Electric, as they might miss out on new opportunities in what is currently the world's largest nuclear power product market. He mentioned, "Nuclear power plants in the U.S. and some European countries are beginning to retire, meaning that Westinghouse Electric's business will decrease."

Westinghouse Electric data photo

Reuters cited sources earlier saying that the Trump administration has suspended licenses for U.S. nuclear equipment suppliers to sell products to Chinese power plants.

According to four sources familiar with the matter, the U.S. Department of Commerce has issued a ban to companies suspending the export license for nuclear power station components and equipment. The report said that in the past two weeks, the Sino-U.S. trade war has shifted from tariff negotiations to mutual restrictions on supply chains, affecting numerous companies including nuclear equipment suppliers.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has yet to respond to requests for comment on nuclear equipment export restrictions. However, a U.S. Department of Commerce spokesperson confirmed on May 28 that they were reviewing export products of strategic significance to China. The spokesperson said in a statement, "In certain cases, the Department of Commerce has suspended existing export licenses or imposed additional licensing requirements during the review period."

U.S. nuclear equipment suppliers include Westinghouse Electric and Emerson. Sources said that this ban affected tens of millions of dollars worth of business for American companies.

The spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States responded in a statement on June 6, stating that the leaders of both countries emphasized during their call that both sides should earnestly implement the agreement reached in Geneva on May 12, and that China has been "seriously" executing the agreement. Controls on rare earth exports to the U.S. are consistent with conventions and are not targeted at specific countries. The statement pointed out, "The U.S. side should recognize the progress made and cancel negative measures taken against China."

Reuters also mentioned that according to sources, in the past two weeks, the Trump administration has implemented several new export restrictions on China. In addition to nuclear equipment, the U.S. has also restricted the sale of hydraulic oil equipment, electronic design automation software, and ethane. Last month, it was reported that the U.S. had suspended some licenses allowing U.S. companies to sell products and technologies to Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC).

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian previously responded, stating that the relevant actions by the U.S. side are generalizing the concept of national security, politicizing and tooling economic and technological issues, and maliciously blocking and suppressing China. We firmly oppose this and will firmly safeguard our legitimate rights and interests.

It is worth noting that these announcements come at a time when the international nuclear energy landscape is undergoing profound changes. China has successfully transformed from a "student" to a leader thanks to its strong technical capabilities and efficient industrial system.

On May 23, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order encouraging the use of nuclear energy in civilian areas. Trump plans to double U.S. nuclear energy production within the next 25 years, reaching 400 gigawatts by 2050, up from the current 100 gigawatts.

However, French weekly Le Point published an article on June 4 stating that although the U.S. and Europe are striving to revitalize their industries, they face severe challenges in terms of policy continuity and industrial foundations. In contrast, China is already leading in technology, cost, and construction speed. Although Western countries once contributed to China's nuclear energy development through technology transfer, a former engineer at Electricité de France lamented, "We taught them, but they surpassed us."

Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant in Fuqing City, Fujian Province, "Hualong One" Unit 6. IC Photo

In recent years, China's nuclear energy development has been "fully powered up," and the autonomous innovation capability of nuclear power technology has significantly increased.

The latest Blue Book "China Nuclear Energy Development Report 2025" released by the China Nuclear Energy Association shows that China currently operates, builds, and approves a total of 102 nuclear power units with installed capacity reaching 113 million kilowatts, ranking first in the world in overall scale for the first time.

In addition, by 2024, key main equipment for nuclear power will reach 100% domestication, and key component technologies will be autonomously controllable. A total of 114 sets of domestic nuclear power main equipment were delivered throughout the year, ensuring the smooth construction of Hualong One, Guohe series, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and other units.

This article is an exclusive contribution by Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7514104150607675939/

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