SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's suspension of nuclear project approvals, put in place in the wake of Japan's nuclear crisis, could be lifted by mid-2012, a newspaper reported on Saturday.
The State Council, or cabinet, suspended approvals of new nuclear projects on March 16, days after Japan's quake-ravaged nuclear complex triggered radiation worries worldwide, especially in neighbouring China.
"To restart the approval procedure in one year is the optimistic estimate, but the country will definitely lift the suspension in two years," the China Daily quoted Zheng Yuhui, director of the research center of the China Nuclear Energy Association, as saying.
China is building about 28 reactors, roughly 40 percent of the global total under construction, and the central government has fast-tracked approvals in the past two years.
Zheng said China will continue to develop its nuclear power industry more efficiently in coming years.
"However we need to control the pace of development and ensure the safety of projects. That's the priority for the industry," he was quoted as saying.
(Reporting by Kazunori Takada; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
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