Chinese government ratifies ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Agreement
On Thursday 30 August, the National People's Congress of China ratified the Agreement on the establishment of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ, and the Agreement on the privileges and immunities of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ. This is a first step to full ratification of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Agreement by China, the final step being the signature of the Chinese President, which is expected shortly. The ratification took place as part of the seven-day, bimonthly meeting of the 170-member Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.
The ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Agreements were signed during a ceremony on 21 November last year in Paris, but before the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ can be established formally as a true international organization, the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Agreement needs to be ratified, accepted or approved, in accordance with the procedures of each ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Party. In the course of the year, the other six Parties have already concluded this process.
The ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Agreement will enter into force 30 days after the reception by the IAEA - which is the repository of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Agreement - of the official notification of the ratification from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At that time, ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ will officially become an international organization.