Context
China has temporarily applied the brakes on its nuclear ambitions for some safety checks following Japan’s tsunami-and-earthquake-driven nuclear disaster, but there is still little possibility of Beijing bringing its nuclear power drive to a standstill for good. The country places great emphasis on the use of nuclear energy as a substitute to coal. With China’s demand for energy growing as earnings and standards of living rise, coal doesn’t seem like a feasible long-term option. However, experts believe that the Japan disaster will send an important signal to hold up and reconsider plans to significantly upgrade nuclear capabilities.
