China will build two new civilian nuclear reactors in Pakistan, the Financial Times reported, citing companies and officials in Islamabad and Beijing. China National Nuclear Corporation confirmed that the two governments had signed an agreement in February to finance the construction of the two new 650-megawatt reactors. This comes after Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute said last year that it would design the reactors. China first built a nuclear reactor in Pakistan in 1991 and work began on a second in 2005, which is expected to be completed next year. The agreement is an indication of Beijing’s growing diplomatic confidence – the international community is unlikely to approve – and the strength of its ambition to become a global supplier of nuclear energy. It is unclear how the US will respond. While the Obama administration doesn’t want to weaken the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, it is keen to win Chinese support for new sanctions on Iran.
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