China and IAEA sign nuclear security accord

China and the International Atomic Energy Agency have signed an agreement to improve nuclear security in the region, the UN nuclear watchdog said, as its chief made his first visit to Beijing. The agreement, signed by IAEA head Yukiya Amano and the head of China's atomic energy authority, Chen Qiufa, also calls for strengthening "co-operation in nuclear security between China and the IAEA," the IAEA said on its website.
"Under the practical arrangement, China and the IAEA will... work together to improve security in the East Asia region," said the statement released on Monday. China is a close ally of North Korea, whose atomic weapons programmes have been the cause of much concern in the region. A six-nation nuclear disarmament drive has so far been unsuccessful.