Huang Mingang, the chief economist of China’s National Nuclear Corp (CNNC), agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Slovakia’s nuclear power plant research institute, VUJE, at the China-Central and Eastern European leaders meeting, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, on Nov 24.

The agreement, which was overseen by the Slovak Economics Minister Vazil Hudak, CNNC’s chief economist Huang Mingang, and China’s Atomic Energy Authority reps, calls for cooperation in the nuclear industry fuel cycle supply chain. It also follows similar agreements with France and the UK and is part of a major strategic move to develop a comprehensive European nuclear industrial supply chain.

It is also expected, as the beginning of CNNC’s cooperation with Slovakia, to bring Sino-Slovak nuclear industrial supply chain cooperation to a new level, similar to the national Belt and Road Initiative and the industry’s going global strategy.

During the signing ceremony, Huang spoke with Hudak and VUJE’s chairman, Peter Líška, and explained CNNC’s performance in the nuclear industry fuel cycle supply chain and potential cooperation in Slovakia in power company equity investment and operation and maintenance of nuclear plants.

Hudak said he was impressed with CNNC’s strength and market development and believes that CNNC is competent and can be an important partner in nuclear energy and in the whole nuclear fuel cycle and looks forward to seeing that business develop in his country.