Thorium?

Headline in the Guardian today.

"China working on uranium-free nuclear plants in attempt to combat smog Beijing brings forward deadline for world's first thorium-fuelled facility in attempt to break reliance on fossil fuels."

Scientists have known about Thorium for yonks as a potential nuclear fuel, so why is Thorium not the nuclear fuel of choice? It is much more abundant than Uranium, it does not go into meltdown and cause a Chernobyl or a Fukishima, its waste breaks down in a relatively short time, and is much safer all round. But there is one catch. It does not produce weapons grade by-products like plutonium, so no bombs. Can't have that!

Coal: Nature's Hazardous Waste Dump.