China: Atomic Energy Law of the People's Republic of China (2025)
China's Atomic Energy Law took effect on 15 January 2026. It assigns atomic energy management to the State Council's nuclear industry, energy and nuclear safety departments, says the state encourages and supports advanced reactors, and requires State Council approval of nuclear power plant construction projects, while leaving siting, construction and operation to the nuclear safety licensing laws. It does not approve or fund any project.
- Category
- Laws, rules and executive directives
- Status
- In effect
- Instrument
- statute · 中华人民共和国原子能法 (Atomic Energy Law of the PRC); adopted 12 September 2025 at the 17th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress; in force 15 January 2026 (Article 62)
- Issued by
- Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会常务委员会)
- Jurisdiction
- China
- Affects
- National reactor licensing, State programme administration
- In effect from
- 15 Jan 2026 · actual · day
- Expiry or completion
- None recorded
- Operative text
- National People's Congress: 中华人民共和国原子能法 (Atomic Energy Law of the PRC) (Text as adopted on 12 September 2025 (NPC website))
- Record reviewed · next review
- 2026-10-18 · 2027-04-18 (dates our review of this record; not a statement of the measure's present legal effect)
Legal and geographic scope
Basic national statute on research, development and peaceful use of atomic energy (eight chapters, 62 articles). Article 5 assigns management and supervision to the State Council's nuclear industry, energy and nuclear safety departments according to their duties. Article 27 states that the state develops nuclear power actively, safely and in an orderly way and encourages and supports the application of advanced nuclear reactors. Article 28 makes the State Council energy department responsible for nuclear power management and for the national nuclear power development plan, which goes to the State Council for approval, and provides that nuclear power plant construction projects are approved (核准) by the State Council. Article 29 supports reactor use for power, heating, desalination, hydrogen production, isotope production and research. Article 30 requires reactor siting, design, construction, commissioning and operation to follow other laws and administrative regulations. Article 38 gives the nuclear safety regulatory and nuclear industry departments nuclear safety supervision within their remits.
Not approved or still pending
The national nuclear power development plan and State Council project approvals made under Article 28 were not reviewed; the statute names no project, design or site. Implementing measures and the policy-support provisions of Article 6 (finance and tax support under state rules) were not traced to any programme.
Dated lifecycle
- 12 Sep 2025 · actual · day · Passed — Adopted by the NPC Standing Committee. (National People's Congress: 中华人民共和国原子能法 (Atomic Energy Law of the PRC))
- 15 Jan 2026 · actual · day · Took effect — Article 62. (National People's Congress: 中华人民共和国原子能法 (Atomic Energy Law of the PRC))
Definitions in this instrument
- 核反应堆 (nuclear reactor) (Article 61(4)): A device built to use the energy, neutrons, nuclides and other products of nuclear reactions.
Legal definition used by this instrument only; SMRMap's inclusion rule for SMRs is separate and unchanged.
Related instruments
Projects or designs named by the source
- None. Location in this jurisdiction does not make a project eligible for, or approved under, this measure.
Sources
- National People's Congress: 中华人民共和国原子能法 (Atomic Energy Law of the PRC) (government_primary, dated 12 Sep 2025, accessed 2026-10-18)