——统一指挥、大力协同。核设施营运单位统一协调指挥场内核事故应急响应行动，各级政府统一协调指挥本级管辖区域内核事故应急响应行动。在政府统一组织指挥下，核应急组织、相关部门、相关企业、专业力量、社会组织以及军队救援力量等协同配合，共同完成核事故应急响应行动。

　　——保护公众、保护环境。把保护公众作为核应急的根本宗旨，以一切为了人民的态度和行动应对处置核事故。把保护环境作为核应急的根本要求，尽可能把核事故造成的放射性物质释放降到最小，最大程度控制、减轻或消除对环境的危害。

　　中国核应急基本原则是：统一领导、分级负责，条块结合、军地协同，快速反应、科学处置。

- Unified command, active coordination. Operators of nuclear installations shall coordinate and direct on-site nuclear accident emergency response actions in a unified manner, and governments at all levels shall coordinate and direct nuclear accident emergency response actions within their respective jurisdictions in a unified manner. Under the unified organization and direction of the government, nuclear emergency organizations, relevant departments, relevant enterprises, professional teams, social organizations and military rescue units shall work in coordination with one another in a joint effort to complete nuclear accident emergency response actions.

- Public safeguard and environmental protection. Public safeguard constitutes the fundamental objective of nuclear emergency preparedness, and it is incumbent upon us to take the attitude and actions that everything is for the people in coping with nuclear accidents. Environmental protection should be viewed as the fundamental requirement of nuclear emergency preparedness in such a way that every effort is made to minimize the release of radioactive substances and do our best to control, mitigate and eliminate damages to the environment.

The basic principles underlying nuclear emergency preparedness in China are: unified leadership, different levels of responsibility, tiered arrangements, coordination between the locality and the military, quick response, and scientific handling.

　　——统一领导、分级负责。在中央政府统一领导下，中国建立分级负责的核应急管理体系。核设施营运单位是核事故场内应急工作责任主体。省级人民政府是本行政区域核事故场外应急工作责任主体。

　　——条块结合、军地协同。核应急涉及中央与地方、军队与政府、场内与场外、专业技术与社会管理等方面，必须坚持统筹兼顾、相互配合、大力协同、综合施救。

　　——快速反应、科学处置。核事故发生后，各级核应急组织及早介入，迅速控制缓解事故，减轻对公众和环境的影响。遵循应对处置核事故特点规律，组织开展分析研判，科学决策，有效实施辐射监测、工程抢险、去污洗消、辐射防护、医学救援等响应行动。

- Unified leadership, different levels of responsibility. Under the unified leadership of the central government, China has established a nuclear emergency management system featuring assignment of responsibility to different levels. The operator of the relevant nuclear installation is the major body of accountability for on-site emergency work. The people's government at the provincial level is the major body of accountability for off-site emergency activities in its jurisdiction. 

- Tiered arrangements, coordination between the locality and the military. Nuclear emergency involves the central and the local, the military and the government, on-site and off-site, specialized techniques and social administration. Therefore, it is necessary to uphold the principles of uniform deployment and centralized planning, mutual support, mutual coordination, and comprehensive rescue at all times.

- Quick response, scientific handling. When a nuclear accident occurs, all levels of nuclear emergency organizations shall be mobilized at the earliest possible time to rapidly control and mitigate the accident to minimize any impact on the public and the environment. Every effort shall be made to take into account the characteristics and rules applicable to nuclear accidents as the basis for organizing studies and evaluations to enable scientific decision-making, and enforce a full range of response actions in an effective manner, including radiation monitoring, worksite rescue, decontamination and cleansing, radiation protection and medical treatment, and so forth.