Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), praised China's contribution on Monday after the country announced that it will donate one million US dollars to the agency.

"The IAEA is grateful for China's continuing generosity in supporting our technical cooperation and security programs in the nuclear field," ElBaradei said in a press release issued by the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog.

He said that the IAEA has forged a formidable partnership with China over the past two decades -- one of the most far-reaching partnerships we have with any member states, extending across the spectrum of IAEA work from safety and security, to safeguards and verification, to technical cooperation in food, energy, water and health.

"China has been both a major recipient and contributor to IAEA special funds since it joined the IAEA in 1984," the press release said.

On behalf of the Chinese government, Zhang Huazhu, head of the Chinese delegation to the 48th session of the General Conference of the IAEA, announced here Monday that China will make an extra-budgetary contribution of one million U.S. dollars to the IAEA again, which will be used to support the latter's technical cooperation programs designed for developing countries and the endeavor of strengthening nuclear security.

"By the end of 2003, China has made voluntary contribution of 13 million US dollars, and other contribution in kind to the IAEA," Zhang said.