On July 3, China Isotope & Radiation Corporation (CIRC), a subsidiary of CNNC, officially launched the full operation of its new radioactive sources R&D and production base — located in Jiajiang county, Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Rated as Asia's biggest and most comprehensive sealed radioactive sources R&D and production base, the facility is hailed as a major step forward in China's domestic development of its high-end radioactive sources.

The base boasts four nuclear technology R&D centers — all supported by a dedicated logistics center for radioactive materials.

They comprise a center for irradiation technology applications, a facility for production of sealed radioactive sources and radionuclides, a center for radioactive sources industrial applications technology, and a center for radioactive nuclide resources recycling. Together, they form a full-chain platform that integrates R&D, large-scale production, technical services, resource recycling and specialized logistics.

Capable of producing high-quality radioactive sources covering more than 70 radionuclides, the base has an annual production capacity of over 100,000 units. Its products and services support applications across industry, agriculture, healthcare, resources exploration, environmental protection and scientific research.

The launch also marks an important milestone for China's nuclear technology applications industry. It strengthens the domestic sealed radioactive sources industry chain by advancing core R&D, large-scale production and industrial applications — enhancing the resilience of the sector's supply chain.