300-member team set to handle nuclear emergencies

China is working to form a 300-member State-level rescue team specialized in nuclear emergencies, said a senior official on Monday.

This team will respond to "serious nuclear accidents in complicated circumstances", said Yao Bin, head of the nuclear emergency and security division under the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

They will be tasked to support operators of nuclear facilities to handle contingencies, such as cordoning the radioactive source in nuclear accidents, rescuing trapped people, controlling the spread of contamination and minimizing the damage, said Yao, also deputy head of a national nuclear emergency response office.