The International Atomic Energy Agency's senior communication official hailed the "significant progress" China has made in nuclear development and said the IAEA looks forward to deepening the collaboration with the country, as this year marks the 40th anniversary of China's accession to the international organization.

Sophie Boutaud de la Combe, director of the Office of Public Information and Communication of IAEA, made the remarks during an international media tour organized by the China Atomic Energy Authority's news office, themed Atoms for Better Home.

She said the IAEA highly values its partnership with CAEA and looks forward to deepening its collaboration and exploring future directions together.

"Through its extraordinary economic growth and advance in knowledge, technology and expertise, China has become a key supporter of the agency financially, politically and through our collaborations," said the official.

China's decades of experience is a solid foundation to build on for the agency and for its other member states, she said, while expressing thanks for Chinese experts who share their knowledge to other countries through IAEA capacity-building programs.

The multifaceted cooperation between the IAEA and China covers areas such as nuclear energy, nuclear safety and security, nuclear technology applications and nonproliferation, said the official, adding that many important projects promoted by CAEA and IAEA have achieved remarkable results.

"These achievements are not only crucial for China's development, but also have far-reaching impact on the peaceful use of nuclear energy globally," the IAEA official added.

"Therefore, I look forward to learning more about China's progress in those areas and exploring how to leverage and promote those successful experiences through the partnership with CAEA news center," she said.

During her visit, the IAEA official also toured the mainland's first nuclear power site at Qinshan in East China, the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant in South China and two IAEA collaboration centers at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Sun Yat-sen University respectively, to learn about China's innovations in the nuclear sector.

Sophie Boutaud de la Combe said China's nuclear development is avoiding "tons of carbon emissions and air pollution" and is creating a conducive environmental- and biodiversity-friendly source of energy for the people of China and also for industrial development.

In addition, she praised China's efforts to help other countries build their own nuclear industry safely and achieve their own energy goals.

"This is showing the world that it's possible to build nuclear power plants quickly and with integrated cost," said the official.