China has asked for permission to conduct uranium exploration and mining in Australia to fuel its growing nuclear power industry, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Monday.
Downer said the government had no objection to the principle of opening up Australia's significant uranium deposits to the Chinese, but would insist Beijing first sign a nuclear safeguard agreement.
"We wouldn't be exporting any uranium to China for military purposes of any kind," Downer said on national radio.
"By that I don't only mean for use in nuclear weapons, but also we wouldn't be exporting any uranium to China for use in military vessels or vehicles of one kind or another," he said.
Chinese officials first asked for access to Australian uranium deposits during meetings in February with the Australian Nuclear Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, officials said.
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