Mr. Chair,

China supports the consultations conducted by the IAEA Secretariat, in accordance with its mandate, with Brazil on safeguards arrangements in relation to a project of nuclear-powered submarines designed and developed indigenously by Brazil and their timely provision of relevant information to the Board; China supports Brazil and other IAEA Member States in maintaining their own legitimate right of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. At the same time, China would like to point out that the Agency’s safeguards on Brazil’s indigenous nuclear-powered submarines project is completely different in nature from the AUKUS cooperation. The difference between the two is like the difference between an orange and an apple, but not apples of same species, not even apples of different species. Hence, there is no room for mixing them up and therefore the way they are listed in the Board’s agenda should also be differentiated.

It is the sovereign right for Brazil to indigenously develop nuclear submarines with LEU as fuel. However, the AUKUS cooperation involves transfer of tons of weapon-grade HEU from Nuclear Weapon States to a Non-Nuclear Weapon State, which opens up new areas and practices for safeguards and has implications on the interests of other IAEA Member States. Member States also have different views and concerns on this. It is obviously not something that can be explained away by a simple concept of “naval nuclear propulsion”.

The statements made today by Member States under this item have made it abundantly clear the difference in nature between AUKUS cooperation and the Brazil’s project of nuclear-powered submarines. They also demonstrated the importance of continuing the discussion process in the Agency around the issue of AUKUS in an open, inclusive, solid and sustainable manner. We welcome Member States to continue the discussion of the AUKUS issue under the agenda item proposed by China.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.