The National People's Congress' standing committee discussed the nation's accession to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, Xinhua news agency reported.

The convention is administered by the United Nation's International Atomic Energy Agency.

"Acceding to the convention will be conducive to the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste and will promote the healthy development of the country's nuclear industry," Xinhua said.

The convention is the first international instrument that deals with the safety of management and storage of radioactive waste and spent fuel in countries with and without nuclear programs.

The convention was adopted in 1997 and went into force in June 2001. There are 42 signatories to the convention.

According to China's foreign ministry, China took an active part in the drafting the convention, but only began efforts to join the treaty in 2004.