At the 2026 China-ASEAN Expo, China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) put China’s two indigenously developed third-generation reactors on display side by side: the Hualong One (HPR1000) and the Guohe One (CAP1400). The dual presence was no accident — it was a deliberate move to demonstrate to Southeast Asian nations both the technological maturity of Chinese nuclear power and China’s readiness to export it.
CGN did not come to the Expo with nuclear energy alone. The company also presented a 1,000 MW solar photovoltaic project in Laos, underscoring an integrated approach to clean energy. Alongside CGN, other major Chinese state-owned energy companies filled the exhibition space: China Southern Power Grid and Guangxi Power Grid showcased next-generation grid solutions and near-zero-emission zone technologies, while CHN Energy presented large-scale renewable energy bases and carbon capture systems. An entire industry in motion — with nuclear power as its flagship offering.
The Hualong One has been China’s benchmark nuclear export product since 2015, co-developed by CNNC and CGN from the French M310 design. The CAP1400 — also known as the Guohe One — is the answer from SPIC and SNPTC: higher output, a passive safety architecture derived from the American AP1000, yet with a distinctly indigenous technological footprint. Displaying them together at the Expo carries real weight: it signals that China is offering ASEAN partners a portfolio, not just a single product.
China’s domestic industrial momentum backs up this strategy. In 2026, the State Council approved the construction of eight new large reactors, including four Hualong One 2.0 units and two additional CAP1400s. With more than 36 reactors simultaneously under construction on home soil, China has both the supply chain depth and the operational track record to support international agreements credibly. The first CAP1400 began delivering power to the grid in November 2024; the first Taipingling Hualong One entered commercial operation in April 2026.
Southeast Asia is a market with surging energy demand and a still-heavy reliance on coal and natural gas. Countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand are actively evaluating — or reopening — their nuclear dossiers. CGN’s coordinated presence at the Expo, with two battle-tested Gen III technologies and a fully operational industrial chain, elevates the commercial showcase into a political signal: Beijing is ready to build plants in the region, not just talk about it. The real test will come with the signing of concrete agreements — and the months ahead could prove decisive.
