China Seeks to Purchase Plutonium Processing Plant

China is currently engaged in negotiations with Germany to purchase an unused plutonium processing facility, Agence France-Presse reported today (see GSN, Dec. 2).

The plant, built by the German firm Siemens, was completed in 1991 but was never used and was abandoned in 1995. It is currently estimated to be worth more than $60 million, AFP reported.

“At present a Chinese company is in talks with Siemens to buy this plant,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said. “This is completely a question of civil purposes and has no military goal,” he added (Agence France-Presse/EUbusiness.com, Dec. 4).

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