China’s Institute of Plasma Physics completed testing of a 582-ton superconducting magnet for its “BEST” tokamak – currently under construction and scheduled to be completed in 2027. Every part of the magnet, from the superconducting wire to the structural steel, was made in China.
China has completed testing of a 582-ton superconducting magnet designed for magnetic confinement fusion. The large-scale component is intended to generate the powerful magnetic fields needed to confine fusion plasma and represents a significant engineering milestone for the country’s fusion program.
Amidst the global race to commercial fusion energy, observers of Chinese fusion tech development believe there is “yet more evidence that China may be on the verge of pulling ahead in one of the most consequential technological races of our time.”
Images from space reveal a huge X-shaped nuclear fusion research facility in China. This is a sign China may be leaping ahead in the quest to harness fusion energy.
Stunted global progression has enabled Beijing to become a major player in the energy arms race. The Mianyang fusion facility appears to be 50pc bigger than its US counterpart and has been seen as the latest sign that China not only has ambitions to catch up with the West on fusion but overtake it.
“Crimson Skyblade” is a superconducting linear plasma device that can help researchers test building materials in fusion machines. China’s Heifi-based Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) facility is developing the technology.
Asia Times interviews FIA CEO Andrew Holland on US-China race to commercial fusion power.
The country has ambitious plans for fusion power plants to provide clean, limitless energy.
Magnetic confinement: Plasma is heated to 100 million °C or more, then squeezed and held in place by strong magnetic fields, allowing many fusion reactions to occur. (Example: tokamaks, stellarators)
Inertial confinement: Tiny fuel pellets are struck by powerful lasers. The outer layer explodes outward, compressing the core to fusion conditions for a few nanoseconds, producing a brief but intense pulse of energy from each pellet. (Example: National Ignition Facility)
Hybrid systems: Combine compression (e.g., from lasers, plasma pistons, or mechanical impact) with moderate magnetic fields to reduce energy losses and improve confinement.
Electrostatic fusion: Uses high electric potentials to accelerate ions toward a central reaction zone, causing them to collide at high energies and fuse. The ions are guided and confined by electric fields rather than magnets, creating a compact environment for fusion reactions.