Argentina recently announced a deal to buy nuclear reactors from China, one of which is expected to be of original design. The anticipated export of the indigenously developed Hualong One is a symbol of how far China has come in a relatively short space of time. It has been able to manipulate its expanding domestic market to make a meteoric rise in terms of technological development.

A relative latecomer to nuclear power, its first reactor was connected to the grid in 1991. Less than 25 years later, China is now aiming to become a major player in the supply of nuclear technology to the world.

Beijing has successfully used its domestic energy market to entice international suppliers. In particular, the demand created by its vast nuclear expansion is a tantalising prospect for traditional Western suppliers of nuclear technology. The low prices of alternative energy sources and significant upfront costs—not to mention the public health hazards most recently illustrated by the Fukushima incident—have made nuclear power a tough sell in recent years.