The steel dome for the nuclear island of Unit 3 of the Haiyang nuclear power plant in Haiyang City, east China's Shandong Province, was successfully lifted into place on Sunday morning.
This represents that construction of the nuclear unit's main building has been basically completed.
The steel dome is the final module of the containment building for Unit 3, with construction now transitioning to the next phase, which involves the installation of the passive safety water tank and other equipment.
The dome measures about 41 meters in diameter and around 11 meters in height with a weight of nearly 1,000 tons.
"The steel dome is the roof of the nuclear unit's containment building, supporting the passive safety water tank above. It provides protection for the nuclear reactor against tsunamis, aircraft collisions, and other threats. It is a critical structure that ensures the integrity and airtightness of the containment building and its internal components," said Zhao Qingshi, a senior engineer with the Shandong Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., the plant's operator.
To ensure the steel dome was positioned accurately, the construction team conducted a full-process rehearsal and thorough checks.
"The Haiyang nuclear power plant uses third-generation passive safety advanced pressurized water reactor technology for all six of its operational, under-construction, and planned power units. In extreme situations, nearly 3,000 tons of water stored in the passive safety water tank will flow down by gravity to cool the containment building of the nuclear island, ensuring safe operation for up to 72 hours without human intervention, in conjunction with other passive safety measures," said Chen Lianfa, a chief engineer with the company.
As the key national projects, Units 3 and 4 of the Haiyang nuclear power plant are expected to enter full operation in 2027.
Once completed, the four nuclear power units at the plant will generate up to 40 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, meeting the power needs of half of Shandong's population.
Steel dome for Unit 3 of China's Haiyang nuclear power plant lifted into place
The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) has become more indispensable than ever in today's fast-evolving global landscape, according to Tan Kong Yam, an Emeritus Professor of Economics with the School of Social Sciences, Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.
The Boao Forum for Asia 2025 Annual Conference opened on Tuesday in the town of Boao in south China's Hainan Province.
With the theme "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future", the four-day forum has attracted nearly 2,000 attendees from more than 60 countries and regions to participate in more than 50 events and many bilateral events, according to the press conference.
"We are currently living through an era of profound global changes, marked by rising geopolitical tension, economic fragmentation, the climate crisis and disruptive technological shift all occurring simultaneously. In such a complex environment, dialog platforms like the Boao Forum for Asia has not diminished in importance, rather they have become even more indispensable than ever before," said Tan.
The BFA provides a distinctive Asian perspective for improving global governance, as well as more opportunities for developing countries and Global South countries to voice their opinions, said Tan.
"Boao has a unique positioning as a high-level dialog platform. Centered on Asia, Boao distinguishes itself from other international forums typically dominated by the West. It provides a valuable opportunity for developing countries, especially those in Asia and the Global South, to make their voices heard. Boao Forum is critical for promoting regional cooperation, especially in key areas such as infrastructure, trade, green development and the digital economy. The forum is a platform for soft power. In an increasingly multi-polar world, Boao helps build trust through dialogs," he said.
Tan also highlighted that Chinese economy shows remarkable resilience, marked by advancements across various sectors, including artificial intelligence.
"The overall outlook for China's economy continues to show strong resilience. Key sectors such as the advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and clean energy are receiving robust policy support. The roll-out of the digital renminbi and the development of smart logistics also indicate that China is actively positioning itself for future economic trends. In recent years, China's progress in the field of artificial intelligence has been remarkable. A particular note is the breakthrough achieved by DeepSeek, which stands as a concentrated expression of China's innovation capacity in AI. It is a result of the synergy between China's national technology strategy, vast market scale, institutional advantages and global outreach. It not only signals China's growing global competitiveness in AI, but also position China as a potential driver of the next global productivity revolution," he said.
The BFA was founded in 2001 and offers a platform for dialogue between leaders from government, business, academia and other organizations to discuss economic, social and environmental issues, promote economic cooperation and support the sustainable development of Asia's economy.
Boao Forum more indispensable in current rapidly-changing world: economist
