CRI听力:France's Areva Signs Agreements with Its Chinese Partners, EDF

The French nuclear power giant Areva has signed several major agreements with its Chinese partners China National Nuclear Corporation and China Guangdong Nuclear Power and the largest French Power company EDF.

According to Areva, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with cnnC for a used fuel processing and recycling facility has been signed, marking a new step forward in the Chinese project.

Areva says The MOU formalizes the end of technical discussions, defines the schedule for commercial negotiations and confirms the willingness of both groups to finalize the negotiations in the shortest possible timeframe.

Another agreement with cnnC enlarging and deepening existing areas of bilateral cooperation covers the entire fuel cycle, Areva says, adding that it covers the extraction and conversion of uranium, fabrication of zirconium fuel assemblies, deconstruction and dismantling, transportation and recycling.

French economic analyst Laurence Daziano is lauding the China-France nuclear energy cooperation, saying China has always been a good choice for the French to join hands with.

"The French nuclear industry is in trouble, actually, and needs financing. And, China is one of the possible partners to invest in our nuclear industry. It's not the only one, and I think the French government has a range of possible companies, or possible partners, to deal with in nuclear energy. But, China is [a] very important one. China is building a lot of nuclear plants on its territory, and there are also possibilities of cooperation."

It is noted that Areva's net income has been a loss of some 4,800 million euros in 2014 compared with a loss of nearly 500 million euros in 2013. A closer cooperation with Chinese partners will be favorable for Areva to end its commercial difficulties.

The agreement also concerns greater cooperation in research and development. A letter of intent was signed together with CGN and EDF on establishing a long-term partnership in the field of medium- and high-power reactors, which takes into account, in particular, experience feedback from Taishan Phase 1.

In the field of reactors, with the support of Areva, EDF and cnnC plan to study, in particular, the possibility of closer cooperation in medium- and high-power reactors, particularly in the area of industrial procurement.

Daziano says a deeper cooperation and wider exchange is mutually beneficial.

"The exchanges are needed. Not only Chinese investment in France, but also French investment in China. China, especially, I was talking about urbanization, China is very good at small cities, at building small cities, and we can also in France learn from it. And, these exchanges is something that is very interesting, and this is, what we most can take about this relation [is that] it's just a win-win relation between our two countries."

France and China have a long history of cooperation. The French Republic was the first major power outside Asia to have full diplomatic ties with China.

Nuclear cooperation between the nations dates back some 30 years ago. Both Paris and Beijing agreed the France-China comprehensive strategic partnership has entered a new era and brought plenty of benefits to both peoples.