As nuclear power plants continue to be phased out by many countries, foreign energy giants are pinning their hopes on China's nuclear market, and its huge potential for growth.

International energy companies including Russia's state atomic energy corporation Rosatom, French energy giant EDF and Candu Energy Inc, a subsidiary of Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin Inc, are all scrambling to invest in the country that already has the world's largest number of nuclear reactors under construction.

These three have already struck alliances with China's nuclear companies - EDF is a long standing partner of China General Nuclear Power Group; and both Rosatom and Candu have linked up with China National Nuclear Corp.