China is slowly transforming into a nuclear energy powerhouse. Its domestic nuclear capacity expanded from under 20 GW in 2014 to approximately 53 GW across 55 reactors by mid-2025. There are 26 more units under construction, which will increase the output to about 30 GW. It has also emerged as a formidable global supplier of civilian nuclear technology, with strong focus on exporting reactors, fuel, and ancillary services. Consequently, China became a growing alternative to traditional suppliers like USA, Russia, France, and South Korea. The expansion of Chinese capability, underscores its ambitious export objectives, especially those linked to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) strategy. By the year 2030, Beijing aims to supply approximately 30 nuclear reactors to roughly 40 BRI countries and target a global market share of 20-30%. The influence is most visible in South Asia, where China’s nuclear collaborations, especially with Pakistan, have raised both opportunities and concerns for regional power dynamics, non-proliferation regimes, and global technology markets. This article explores the scope and impact of China’s nuclear exports, the state-owned companies spearheading these projects, the types of technologies and services offered and its South Asian footprint with Pakistan as the most significant case study of China’s nuclear outreach. In doing so, it raises a critical question: to what extent does China’s turnkey civil-nuclear export model create long term geo-political implications and energy dependencies that function as strategic leverage, especially for the BRI countries?
How Civilian Nuclear Energy Is Powering China’s Global Strategy (Akankshya Ray – Vivekananda International Foundation)
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