Rio Tinto Group’s uranium mining unit, Energy Resources of Australia Ltd., plans to broaden its relationship with China and find new customers in the region, the Australian newspaper said.

Chinese customers gave the company assurances the expansion of nuclear power plants is part of that nation’s economic stimulus plan, Energy Resources Chief Executive Rob Atkinson said in an interview with the newspaper.

Atkinson made the comments after a tour of China, Taiwan and South Korea, the report said.