China's Nuclear Fusion Program: From EAST to Commercial Energy

China views nuclear fusion as critical to its energy security and climate goals. As the world's largest energy consumer — still heavily dependent on coal — commercial fusion represents the ultimate solution: virtually unlimited clean energy with no carbon emissions and minimal radioactive waste.

The government has placed fusion research at the center of its long-term science and technology strategy, with funding that has grown substantially year over year. China is not just participating in the global fusion race — it's positioning itself to win it.

Located at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science in Anhui province, EAST (实验先进超导托卡马克) is China's flagship fusion research device and one of the most advanced tokamaks in the world.

World records set by EAST:

• January 2025: Sustained high-confinement plasma for 1,066 seconds — shattering the previous world record

• 2023: Achieved 403 seconds of high-confinement plasma operation

• 2021: Reached plasma temperatures of 120 million °C for 101 seconds

• 2018: First tokamak to achieve 100 million °C for 10 seconds

EAST is the only fully superconducting tokamak currently operating, making it uniquely valuable for testing long-pulse plasma scenarios — exactly what's needed for a commercial fusion reactor.

The HL-3 (环流三号) at the Southwestern Institute of Physics in Chengdu is China's other major tokamak facility. While EAST focuses on superconducting long-pulse operation, HL-3 complements with different research priorities:

HL-3 capabilities:

• Designed for high-parameter plasma physics research

• Advanced magnetic confinement configurations

• Strong program in plasma heating and current drive technologies

• Key platform for training fusion scientists and engineers

In 2024, HL-3 achieved a major breakthrough by implementing advanced magnetic confinement mode operation, improving plasma stability and bringing fusion conditions closer to power-plant requirements.

CFETR is China's bridge between experimental tokamaks and a commercial fusion power plant. This is the critical next step in the roadmap:

CFETR specifications (planned):

• Fusion power output: 200–1,000 MW (scaling over two phases)

• Tritium breeding ratio > 1.0 (producing its own fusion fuel)

• Steady-state operation capability

• Construction expected to begin in the late 2020s

• Location: Likely Hefei or a dedicated site

Two-phase approach:

• Phase 1: Demonstrate fusion power generation with 200 MW output, tritium self-sufficiency, and steady-state operation

• Phase 2: Scale to 1 GW output, demonstrating commercial viability

CFETR represents the most concrete pathway to commercial fusion energy of any national program globally.

Beyond government labs, a private fusion industry is rapidly emerging in China:

Key companies:

• Energy Singularity (能量奇点): Shanghai-based startup building compact tokamaks, raised significant venture funding

• Neo Fusion (星环聚能): Developing spherical tokamak technology in Beijing

• Startorus Fusion (聚变新能): Working on field-reversed configuration approach

• Keyman Fusion (密尔克卫聚变): Focused on fusion fuel cycle and tritium handling

Industrial supply chain:

• China is the world's largest producer of rare-earth permanent magnets needed for superconducting coils

• Domestic manufacturing of superconducting cables, vacuum vessels, and plasma-facing components

• Existing nuclear industry provides expertise in radiation shielding and remote handling

The convergence of government investment, private capital, and manufacturing capability gives China a unique advantage in scaling fusion technology.

China is a key participant in ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), contributing approximately 9% of the project's construction costs and several major components:

China's ITER contributions:

• Superconducting conductor production (niobium-titanium and niobium-tin)

• Correction coil manufacturing

• Blanket shield block fabrication

• Gas injection and water cooling systems

While ITER is delayed and over budget, China benefits from the collaboration by gaining expertise and simultaneously pursuing its own CFETR program in parallel — a dual-track strategy that reduces risk.

Fusion is China's long-term energy bet, but the near-term clean energy picture is already remarkable:

China's current clean energy dominance:

• World's largest solar installer — more solar capacity than the rest of the world combined

• World's largest wind power market

• World's largest electric vehicle market (60%+ of global EV sales)

• Dominant in battery manufacturing (CATL, BYD) with 70%+ global market share

• Leading in grid-scale energy storage deployment

Fusion fits into a broader strategy: China isn't just pursuing one clean energy technology — it's pursuing all of them simultaneously, ensuring it will dominate the global energy transition regardless of which technologies win.