China and the United States have finished their technical talks on the mega-port initiative late May, signaling an important step for cooperation between the two countries on preventing illegal transport of radioactive materials, said sources with Chinese Foreign Ministry yesterday.

China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding on the mega-port plan in November, 2005 and kicked off technical talks on the 11 annexes of memorandum in February, 2006.

The mega-port initiative, as an important part of China-US cooperation on fighting terrorism, is aimed at preventing illegal transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials by installing detection system in relevant ports, said a press release from the foreign ministry.

"The representatives from China's General Administration of Customs and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and US Energy Ministry held fifth round of technical talks late May, agreeing on the 11 annexes of the memorandum," according to the press release.

The accomplishment of technical talks on the annexes marks an important step for cooperation on mega-port initiative and indicates the initiative has entered a stage of concrete implementation, it said.