French Finance Minister Thierry Breton said on Thursday that French nuclear group Areva's negotiations to supply four nuclear reactors to China were proving difficult, but were set to continue.

Breton confirmed that Areva was still in the running for the contract, when responding to reports alleging that the French nuclear group had lost out to its U.S. rival Westinghouse.

There were always winners and losers in this type of contest, but "it is not over and I have confidence in Areva" in winning the 8-billion-dollar contract to supply four nuclear reactors to China, Breton added.

According to French economic daily Les Echos in its Wednesday edition, the state-controlled Areva is reluctant to transfer its nuclear technology to China, for fear that Beijing could create a rival nuclear group that would compete with Areva in markets such as Brazil and India.

Source: Xinhua