China is expected to enact a nuclear security law by 2018 as it builds new nuclear plants while targeting a higher security standard, a senior lawmaker said.

Sun Qin, a member of the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People's Congress, told China Daily that a first draft of the law is expected to be released this year.

"The draft will go through the second and third readings in the coming years. We plan to enact it within this term of the NPC," Sun said. The top legislature's current term ends in 2018.