"The exploration and exploitation of domestic uranium will be prioritized for the country's mid- and long-term development of nuclear power," Lu Xiaoming, director of the Nuclear Fuel Division of the China Atomic Energy Authority, told a new conference in north China's Tianjin.

"We should rely on our own resources to acquire uranium," Lu said.

"We will intensify our geological survey efforts to have a clear understanding of uranium resources, and bring technical innovation to the exploration and exploitation of uranium for greater efficiency," he said.

In 2007, China approved plans to develop the country's nuclear power industry, which aims to reach a power capacity of 40,000 megawatts by 2020.

However, the National Energy Administration believes this goal can be achieved as soon as 2015.

In September, China completed construction of a 9,190 megawatt capacity nuclear power plant, with a 27,730 megawatt capacity plant currently under construction.