China Is Rapidly Building Nuclear Power Plants as the Rest of the World Stalls

Within sight of mango and pineapple fields on the Chinese holiday island of Hainan, workers at Linglong One are finishing what will become the world’s first small modular nuclear reactor built for commercial purposes. It’s part of a national fleet of atom-­splitting plants that aim to wean the country off coal and imported fuel.

“There are probably not more than seven countries that have the capability to design, manufacture and operate nuclear power plants,” Cui Jianchun, the Chinese foreign ministry’s envoy in nearby Hong Kong, said during an official visit to the plant. “We used to be a follower, but now China is a leader.”