China’s Nuclear Export Ambitions – Opportunities for International Collaboration

China is no longer just the world’s largest builder of nuclear reactors — it is rapidly becoming one of its largest exporters. With a target of supplying 30 nuclear reactors to Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries by 2030, potentially generating US$145 billion in revenue, China’s nuclear export drive represents one of the most significant opportunities — and competitive challenges — in the global energy sector today.

For overseas engineering firms, equipment suppliers, law firms, and financial institutions, understanding China’s nuclear export landscape is essential. This article maps out where China’s nuclear exports stand in 2026, the technologies on offer, the global market context, and how international businesses can participate.

1. Overseas Projects: From Pakistan to the World Track Record

China’s nuclear export journey began decades ago, but the real acceleration came with the Hualong One — China’s flagship indigenous third-generation pressurized water reactor (PWR).

🔹 Pakistan: The Flagship Market

Pakistan is China’s most important nuclear export partner. The relationship dates back to 1991, when China signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with Pakistan just 16 days after the Qinshan nuclear plant first connected to the grid. The Chashma nuclear power plant became China’s first nuclear export project. By 2017, four Chashma units were fully operational, with a total capacity exceeding 1.3 GW, significantly alleviating Pakistan’s electricity shortages.

The game-changer, however, was the Karachi K-2 and K-3 project — the first overseas deployment of Hualong One. The two units achieved commercial operation in 2021 and 2022 respectively. The impact has been tangible: Pakistan’s daily power outages were reduced by more than half after the reactors came online. Local media reported that residents expressed gratitude to China for the improved electricity supply.

In March 2026, China’s China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach) secured another milestone: winning the bid for the Chashma C5 nuclear power project KE sub-project. The C5 project uses Hualong One technology and represents a US$4.8 billion investment, primarily financed through Chinese credit. This follows the successful delivery of the Karachi K-2/K-3 cooling water intake and discharge EPC project.

As of August 2026, China has cumulatively exported seven nuclear power units using Hualong One technology.

🔹 Beyond Pakistan: A Growing Pipeline

Pakistan is just the beginning. China has signed cooperation letters of intent with more than 10 countries, including Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Ghana, and others. Projects are under construction or in planning stages in Pakistan, Argentina, Kenya, Kazakhstan, and Saudi Arabia.

In Argentina, China secured an Atucha nuclear plant upgrade project in early 2026, with a contract value of approximately US$1.1 billion. Negotiations for a fourth nuclear power plant using Hualong One technology have also progressed.

In Saudi Arabia, Chinese firms are competing alongside Russian, French, and Korean suppliers for the kingdom’s first dual-reactor civilian nuclear power plant. Saudi Arabia has signed a memorandum of understanding with China on uranium exploration and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

2. International Certifications: The Gateway to Global Markets Credentials

For any nuclear technology to be deployed in Western markets, it must pass rigorous international design reviews. Hualong One has cleared both major hurdles.

🔹 UK Generic Design Assessment (GDA)

Hualong One has completed the UK’s Generic Design Assessment (GDA), a comprehensive review conducted by the UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Environment Agency. The GDA process typically takes four to five years and involves two to four stages of rigorous technical, safety, and environmental scrutiny.

Hualong One is now one of only four reactor designs to have fully passed the GDA, alongside France’s EPR, the US Westinghouse AP1000, and Hitachi’s UK ABWR. This certification is a powerful signal to potential buyers: Hualong One meets the world’s highest safety standards.

🔹 European Utility Requirements (EUR) Certification

In addition to the GDA, Hualong One has also obtained European Utility Requirements (EUR) certification, confirming that its design meets the latest European nuclear safety requirements. The EUR is the benchmark used by European utilities to evaluate reactor designs for deployment in Europe.

As CGN’s official statement notes, Hualong One is a “third-generation pressurized water reactor nuclear power technology developed and designed by China with completely independent intellectual property rights”.

3. The Export Technology Matrix: Three Pillars Portfolio

China is not relying on a single technology for its export push. As CNNC Vice General Manager Xin Feng stated in March 2026, the company is “fully promoting the export of Chinese nuclear technology and equipment, represented by Hualong One, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and Linglong One“.

🔹 Hualong One — The Workhorse

Hualong One remains the flagship export product. With 10 units in commercial operation and 37 approved or under construction globally as of mid-2026, it is the most widely deployed third-generation reactor series in the world. Each unit generates nearly 10 billion kWh annually — enough to power a population of 1 million.

🔹 High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) — The Differentiator

China’s HTGR technology, demonstrated at the Shidaowan project in Shandong, is the world’s first commercial fourth-generation nuclear power plant. It offers “inherent safety” — the reactor can maintain a safe state without any intervention in the event of a complete loss of cooling. This makes it particularly attractive for countries with limited nuclear operating experience.

🔹 Linglong One (ACP100) — The SMR Contender

Linglong One is the world’s first onshore commercial small modular reactor (SMR) and the first to pass an IAEA safety review. It is nearing completion in Hainan province and is expected to enter commercial operation in the first half of 2026. With a capacity of 125 MWe, Linglong One is designed for flexible deployment in remote areas, for industrial steam supply, and even for powering AI data centers.

In 2026, CNNC has been in “multiple rounds of technical exchanges and business negotiations” with Pakistan, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia regarding Linglong One exports.

4. The Global Context: A Nuclear Renaissance Market

China’s export ambitions are timed perfectly with a global nuclear renaissance. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has raised its global nuclear capacity projections for five consecutive years.

In its latest projections, the IAEA’s high-case scenario sees global nuclear capacity reaching 992 GW by 2050 — 2.6 times the 2024 level of 377 GW. The low-case scenario projects 561 GW by 2050, a 50% increase. The World Nuclear Association (WNA) is even more optimistic, projecting 1,363 GW by 2050 based on current government targets.

In March 2026, China officially joined the Triple Nuclear Energy Declaration, which aims to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050 relative to 2020 levels. The declaration has now been signed by 38 countries.

This global momentum is creating unprecedented demand for nuclear technology, engineering, and financing — and China is positioning itself to capture a significant share.

5. How Overseas Businesses Can Participate Opportunities

China’s nuclear export drive creates multiple entry points for international businesses. Here are the key roles overseas firms can play:

Chinese nuclear export projects typically follow a turnkey EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) model, often with Chinese financing attached. Major contractors include:

• China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) — leads in reactor development, uranium mining, fuel fabrication, and turnkey export packages
• China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) — co-develops Hualong One and has exported reactors to the UK and Pakistan
• State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) — specialises in adapting foreign designs (e.g., AP1000) into Chinese standards

These prime contractors work with a vast network of EPC subcontractors and equipment suppliers, including Shanghai Electric, Dongfang Electric, Harbin Electric, and China First Heavy Industries.

6. Due Diligence: Verifying Chinese Nuclear Export Companies Compliance

With so many players entering the nuclear export space, verifying the credentials of Chinese partners is essential. The stakes are high: nuclear projects involve billions of dollars, complex technology, and strict regulatory oversight.

The NNSA maintains a dynamic credit database of nuclear-grade equipment suppliers, and all companies participating in domestic nuclear construction must register and submit declarations of no major quality accidents in the past three years.

This is where having reliable, authoritative information becomes critical. At ChinaBizInsight, we help international clients verify Chinese companies, retrieve official registration documents, and conduct comprehensive due diligence — whether you’re evaluating a prime contractor, a subcontractor, or a potential joint venture partner.

Final Takeaway

China’s nuclear export ambitions are real, substantial, and accelerating. With a target of 30 overseas reactors by 2030, a portfolio of certified technologies, and a supportive policy environment, China is poised to become a major force in the global nuclear market.

For international businesses, this creates significant opportunities across engineering, equipment supply, legal advisory, financing, and consulting. But success requires understanding the landscape, identifying the right partners, and conducting thorough due diligence. With the right information and the right partners, the opportunities are immense.