Integrated Nuclear Safeguards and Security Workshops: A Joint Cooperative Effort between the U.S. and the People's Republic of China

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) hosted a 26-member Chinese delegation, including both government officials and technical experts, for a series of nuclear safeguards and security workshops that were held at nuclear facilities in the United States from October 16 through November 3, 2006. The purpose of the visit was to promote the adoption of modern security practices and technologies in China by demonstrating established physical protection, nuclear material control and accounting, regulatory oversight and international safeguards technologies and practices that provide a first line of defense against nuclear material theft and diversion. The workshops are part of NNSA's ongoing cooperation with the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) to promote best practices on integrated nuclear safeguards and security. This event was a direct follow-up activity to the October 2005 Joint U.S.-China Integrated Nuclear Material Management Technology Demonstration to continue the U.S. and People's Republic of China cooperation concerning peaceful uses of nuclear technology. The Chinese delegation of working-level technical experts was divided into three teams concentrating on non-destructive assay, material control and accounting and regulatory oversight, and physical protection. This paper will discuss the comprehensive objectives of the INSS workshop and the focus of each of the three teams’ visits to U.S. nuclear facilities. Each team had an individual itinerary that focused on specific fields of expertise at each U.S. nuclear facility they visited. The nuclear facilities provided training and site tours that demonstrated best practices and international standards for specific topics of interest for the Chinese technical experts.