China's nuclear technology application industry has vast development space

Han Yongjiang, chairman of China Baoyuan and Tongfang Co., Ltd., asserted that as an important part of the new quality productive forces, the nuclear technology application is an emerging and strategic high-tech industry, featuring high efficiency and high quality. It has been a driving force for promoting the upgrading of traditional industries and the development of new industries, making it a priority for development by major countries worldwide.

Currently, over 150 countries and regions in the world are engaged in the nuclear technology research and application. China's nuclear technology application industry has seen significant growth in recent years, with its output value reaching nearly 700 billion yuan in 2022 (about 0.57% of the country's GDP). It is expected to reach 1 trillion yuan by 2025, indicating promising prospects.

Han also said that nuclear technology application is closely related to nearly one-third of the 43 manufacturing industries of the national economy. It has also promising prospects in fields such as medicine and agriculture. The deep integration of the nuclear technology application into the national economy is not only crucial for unleashing the economic growth potential but also supports the ecological governance and the improvement of people's livelihoods. What's more, integrating the nuclear technology application industry into the global economy can contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road cooperation, facilitating the prosperity of both domestic and international markets.

Technology development stimulates vitality

Han analyzed that China's nuclear technology application industry has developed rapidly in recent years, but there are still deficiencies in areas such as top-level design and industrial coordination.

For future development, Han suggested that efforts should be made:

• To continuously strengthen the top-level design and overall planning of the nuclear technology application industry, and enhance its systematic, forward-looking, and directional development.

• To further improve the basic innovation ability of the nuclear technology application industry, establish relative major national science and technology projects, and build a number of breakthrough and platform-based research institutions and clusters of research facilities for the nuclear technology application industry.

Innovation is the core element of developing the new quality productive forces. In recent years, China Baoyuan of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has made breakthroughs in key and core technologies, accelerated the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements, and cultivated an outstanding team of high-tech talents, enhancing its leading role of technological innovation and core competitiveness.

On the basis of enhancing innovation capabilities, it is important to directly transform scientific and technological innovation achievements into industries or products to serve economic and social development. Han suggested that first, it is necessary to better implement the leading role of enterprises in innovation; and secondly, it is essential to cultivate a team of talents who are proficient in both business management and technological research for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.

Reform promotes innovation and drives the development of nuclear technology

To develop the new quality productive forces, it is necessary to carry out reforms to eliminate obstacles to development. In 2023, CNNC adjusted the ownership of some of its subsidiaries and formed a unified industrial platform, aiming to promote the development of the nuclear technology application industry.

After the adjustment, China Baoyuan conducted in-depth analysis of its existing technologies and formed five core businesses in the field of nuclear technology application, including isotopes and products and security inspection, as well as five advantageous industries such as digital information and smart energy. The strengths of the core businesses are more prominent, and resources are also more concentrated.

Han explained that, first, there is a greater focus on core responsibilities and businesses. Through this adjustment, China Baoyuan has become China's largest nuclear technology application industry group in terms of scale, with the most comprehensive business scope and the most complete industrial chain. Second, it adheres to the market-oriented reform. China Baoyuan is CNNC's most market-based subsidiary and will further accelerate the reform of market-oriented management mechanisms. Third, it adheres to scientific and technological innovation. While building an independent innovation system and scientific research team, it emphasizes cooperation within the group in innovation and industrial promotion. Fourth, this adjustment is conducive to improving the quality of listed companies. The platforms under China Baoyuan can generate cluster effects, enhancing the core competitiveness of enterprises and exerting their core functions.

Looking to the future, China Baoyuan will continue to promote high quality development and strive for excellence and expansion, leading the industry to achieve high-quality leaps and serve people's well-being.