BEIJING - A shortage of experienced technicians is posing a grave challenge to China's nuclear safety as the country is rapidly expanding nuclear power plants, a former nuclear safety administrator has said.

"Experienced senior technicians currently comprise less than one-third of operating staff, while the rest of the positions are filled by new hands," said Wang Yuqing, former director of the National Nuclear Safety Administration.

Stressing that there has been a drop in the proportion of experienced technicians across all operating staff at nuclear plants, he attributed the disparity in the proportion of experienced technicians to operating staff to the rapid growth in the nuclear power industry.