China Accelerates Fusion Research with Open Access Program

China has unveiled a landmark international initiative to grant global scientists access to its state-of-the-art fusion research facilities in Hefei.

Announced on Monday by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Plasma Physics, the move signals Beijing’s intent to deepen global engagement in cutting-edge energy research.

The program positions China at the forefront of the global pursuit of clean, virtually limitless fusion power.

It also establishes an important precedent for international scientific collaboration, offering a new model for cooperative progress in next-generation energy technologies.

Researchers from over 10 countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, have already signed the Hefei Fusion Declaration, committing to open science and shared innovation.

The move is being celebrated across the international energy research community as China commits to rapidly scaling access and expertise in fusion technologies.

What motivated China to open its fusion facilities to the world?

China’s decision to open its advanced fusion platforms stems from an urgent need to accelerate the global pursuit of limitless and clean energy sources.

With climate change concerns mounting and energy security becoming increasingly important, fusion’s potential as a sustainable solution is drawing global attention.

Leadership in such a critical field is seen as both a technological opportunity and a diplomatic stride.

Song Yuntao, director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, emphasized that entering the burning plasma stage is key to the future of fusion engineering.

China wants to underpin this transition by inviting the world's leading experts to collaborate, ensuring that scientific breakthroughs occur faster and benefit all nations striving for carbon neutrality and reliable energy.

Did you know?
The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), operational in Hefei, has set multiple world records for plasma confinement, bringing scientists closer to harnessing fusion power for continuous electricity generation.

How will global access to fusion research in Hefei work?

The new initiative grants scientists from around the world access to several top-tier fusion research platforms, most notably the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) facility.

Scheduled for completion by 2027, BEST will enable advanced deuterium-tritium experiments, steady-state operation studies, and could demonstrate net energy gain for the first time in China.

An open research fund and regular international expert exchanges have been established as part of the program.

Scientists signing the Hefei Fusion Declaration will participate in shared research, exchange of data, and potentially joint publications, reinforcing transparency and accelerating shared knowledge in fusion science.

What breakthroughs have China’s facilities already achieved?

China’s fusion program has set several world benchmarks. In January 2025, the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) maintained high-confinement plasma for 1,066 seconds at over 100 million degrees Celsius, a feat unparalleled worldwide.

This achievement follows a record of 403 seconds in 2023, signaling China’s rapid progress in plasma control and device stability.

BEST is expected to build on these achievements, aiming for controlled burning plasmas capable of producing 20 to 200 megawatts of fusion power.

Mastery of sustained burning plasmas lays the groundwork for the electricity-generating processes that future fusion power plants will require.

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How significant is the international partnership for fusion progress?

Opening the fusion program to global scientists represents a strategic boost for international collaboration. With more than 120 partner research institutions in over 50 countries, and active involvement in the ITER project in France, China aims to anchor itself as a global leader in energy innovation.

French and UK experts speaking at the launch highlighted that collaboration is indispensable for solving fusion’s toughest problems.

This newly formalized partnership is expected to foster more rapid advancements, as pooling diverse expertise and resources often sparks solutions that might not arise within closed national programs.

International cooperation not only quickens technological progress, but it also ensures broader, equitable access to future energy advances.

What could this open program mean for future clean energy?

If successful, China’s open fusion initiative could transform prospects for clean, large-scale power within a generation.

By prioritizing data sharing, global skill-building, and open science, the program can help close gaps between research and deployment.

Other countries may emulate this model, increasing momentum toward a practical, commercial fusion power plant.

As the program matures, its success will depend on continual openness, transparent results, and strong scientific governance.

The participation of global experts suggests that fusion science is truly entering a new phase, driven by shared commitment to an energy-secure, low-carbon world.

The world’s fusion science landscape now features China as a leading convener and innovator. This open-access initiative advances humanity’s collective journey to harness the power of the sun for sustainable progress and energy abundance.