China will further develop nuclear power to fulfill its target of increasing the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption to 20 percent of the total energy consumption by 2030, a climate official said on Dec 23.

The statement was made by Xie Zhenhua, China’s special representative on climate change, during a news conference held by the State Council.

In coastal areas where the conditions are qualified, some nuclear power plants are being built, and the technology is being upgraded.

China is also selecting inland sites for nuclear power plants, but it still requires further argumentation about the locations, according to Xie.

“Security should be considered the most important factor when developing nuclear power,” Xie said, adding China was committed to ensuring equipment, management and location safety.