Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates (pictured) is holding talks with the state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to jointly develop a new type of nuclear reactor.
'A company he [Bill Gates] founded is working with us and he will visit us in a few days for more talks on co-operation,' said corporation general manager Sun Qin in a speech delivered at a forum in Beijing on Friday, which was later released on mainland news portals.
'He is working with us to conduct research on a new type of nuclear reactor and jointly develop [it] with CNNC,' said Sun, who heads China's top nuclear developer, overseeing military and civilian programmes.
While Sun did not give details about the new reactor technology, postings on the corporation's website show that TerraPower - of which Gates is chairman - has been talking with CNNC since 2009 about developing a travelling-wave reactor, or TWR. Gates has visited CNNC at least twice.
TWR, a virtual design by TerraPower that has yet to be built or tested, is a new type of reactor that could reduce the need for the enrichment and reprocessing of uranium.
If successful, TWRs would be smaller, cleaner nuclear reactors that would create less nuclear waste, and they could be used for years without refuelling.