China General Nuclear has announced that two of its new nuclear power reactors - Fangchenggang unit 1 and Yangjiang unit 3 - both completed 168-hour test runs and entered commercial operation on 1 January.

The full-scope simulator for the demonstration HTR-PM high-temperature gas-cooled reactor plant under construction at Shidaowan in China's Shandong province has officially entered operation.

The final module - the containment water tank - has been installed at the second AP1000 unit under construction at Sanmen in China's Zhejiang province.

A prototype fuel assembly for China's CAP1400 pressurized water reactor design has been produced at the Baotou fuel fabrication facility in Inner Mongolia. The fuel's performance will now be verified.

Two Chinese nuclear power companies have agreed to create a joint venture to promote China's "third-generation" nuclear reactor design, Hualong One, in overseas markets. China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group and China National Nuclear Corporation announced the plan to establish Hualong International Nuclear Power Technology Co in separate statements yesterday.

First concrete was poured for unit 3 of the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant in China's Guangxi province on 24 December, China General Nuclear (CGN) announced. The event was attended by Zhang Xiaoqin, vice-chairman of Guangxi, who officially launched Phase II of the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant project.

Unit 1 of the Changjiang nuclear power plant on China's southern island province of Hainan has entered commercial operation, China National Nuclear Corporation announced on 25 December. The 650 MWe CNP-600 pressurized water reactor was connected to the electricity grid on 7 November.

Tests of the containment vessel of the first AP1000 unit under construction at the Haiyang nuclear power plant in China have been completed, Westinghouse announced yesterday. The tests were completed two days ahead of schedule.

Construction has started on the second Hualong One reactor at the site of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province.

China's State Council yesterday approved the construction of two more units at each of the Tianwan and Fangchenggang nuclear power plant sites.

KazAtomProm has signed cooperation agreements with Chinese companies, including one for the development of Kazakh uranium mines and the construction of a nuclear fuel plant in Kazakhstan.

The nuclear regulators of China and South Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding to reinforce their cooperation in nuclear safety.