It is reported that the construction of Taohuajiang Nuclear Power Plant in Hunan Province, China's first inland nuclear power plant, is about to be restarted, after being halted by the State Council which suspended all approvals of the construction of nuclear power plants in March 2011. But public concerns are still the biggest barriers.

China takes its responsibilities as a global nuclear power seriously. But China needs to do more to further establish a comprehensive and reliable nuclear security system, one that is able to protect nuclear materials, facilities and transports.

China needs to raise the standards of all precautions against terrorist threats to nuclear and civil nuclear facilities. By reexamining and upgrading its benchmarks, China can effectively detect and get rid of possible threats.

The nation should renovate its outdated regulations and laws to make them more clear and rigorous. The legal enforcement mechanisms should also be upgraded so that they can effectively ensure nuclear security.

It's also time for China to apply the efficient framework of established international laws to its domestic rules and regulations. Continuous improvement is critical to enforcement, which demands the authorities not slack off while searching for better approaches and rectifying loopholes.

Currently, it is essential to create a strong awareness of nuclear security. At the latest Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed this point. But many Chinese scholars and experts still ignore the threats from nuclear terrorism.

As Chinese society is going through a rapid process of marketization and social problems are turning grave, China's nuclear materials are at risk. Terrorists from outside, especially the East Turkestan forces, also pose threats to China's nuclear facilities. It is high time for the authorities to carry out comprehensive training for these nuclear professionals and make them fully realize the possible risks and threats.

China must keep enhancing international cooperation, especially with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the US Department of Energy.

The government can encourage nuclear companies and security professionals to engage more in the international community of nuclear security. This is a good way to show China's sense of responsibility as a global nuclear power.

The author is a senior research associate at the project on managing the atom in the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn