China’s expanding nuclear industry is becoming a new instrument of geopolitical influence across Southeast Asia.
From Vietnam to Indonesia, governments increasingly view nuclear energy as necessary to sustain industrial growth, AI infrastructure and rising electricity demand while reducing dependence on coal. The result is a regional nuclear reconsideration that would have seemed politically improbable only a decade ago.
Vietnam and Russiasigned an agreement in March 2026 for the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant. The Philippines and Indonesia aim tooperationalize reactorsin the early 2030s, whileMalaysia, Thailand and Singaporeare studying small modular reactors as part of future energy planning.
At the center of this transformation stands China. While France, Russia, South Korea and theUnited Statesremain major exporters,Beijinghas emerged as perhaps the most consequential long-term nuclear partner for Southeast Asia, combining financing, industrial scale and state-backed delivery capacity few rivals can match.
Nuclear partnerships are not ordinary infrastructure deals. They are strategic relationships that can last more than half a century and shape everything from fuel dependency and industrial standards to regulatory systems and geopolitical alignment.
China’s emergence as a major nuclear exporter is the result of decades of sustained industrial policy and technological accumulation. As of 2026,China operates61 nuclear reactors and has another 36 under construction, giving it the world’s third-largest reactor fleet while leading global nuclear construction.
Unlike many Western industries that stagnated after the Cold War, China sustained investment across reactor engineering, manufacturing and workforce development. This enabled Beijing to localize roughly90% of reactor componentsdomestically.
That localization reduces supply-chain vulnerabilities, lowers manufacturing costs and allows Chinese firms to offer comprehensive turnkey packages covering engineering, procurement, construction, financing, training and long-term fuel supply.
In effect, China is exporting entire nuclear ecosystems rather than standalone reactors. The centerpiece of this strategy is the Hualong One (HPR1000), a third-generation pressurized-water reactorjointly developedby China National Nuclear Corporation and China General Nuclear Power Group.
With more than 40 units operational or under construction,Hualong Onehas become one of the world’s most actively deployed reactor designs. It incorporates advanced safety systems and generates around 1,100 megawatts per unit – enough for roughly one million homes.
Source: Global Research
