Busch, Nathan

Abstract
In light of the current war on terrorism and the  high priority that the United States has placed on ensuring the protection of nuclear materials and facilities throughout the world, it is appropriate to revisit the importance of the China Arms Control Exchange (CACE) program. This viewpoint assesses the current risks associated with the Chinese fissile material stockpile by examining what is known about China’s Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC&A) systems at its nuclear facilities. The study indentifies a number of potential weakness in China’s MPC&A, particualrly during times of domestic upheaval. Because of the potentially serious repercussions of a security breach in China, the United States has a major interest in improving the security of Chinese fissile materials. One step forward toward realizing this interest would be to revive the CASE program.
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