China's top nuclear official has ruled out the possibility of Beijing cooperating with North Korea in the field of atomic energy.

Atomic Energy Authority Chairman Zhang Huazhu stressed Thursday that there is currently no discussion on atomic cooperation with the North since Beijing officially advocates a policy of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Zhang, who is also vice minister of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, added, however, that no country should be deprived of the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.