At the confluence of global efforts to harness fusion energy, China is solidifying its role as a pivotal innovator and reliable partner.

Pietro Barabaschi, Director-General of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), is one of the international leaders in the field who praise China's substantial contributions.

He acknowledged China as "a very strong partner" during the recently-concluded Second Ministerial Meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) World Fusion Energy Group and 30th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

"China's contribution has been ever-growing, not only in the delivery of components but also, most significantly, in the assembly of ITER by Chinese companies," he noted.

"Countries do not always get along, but when it comes to ITER, you will see everybody working with the same objective," Barabaschi remarked, adding that ITER is a project of hope, and a project of peace.

The IAEA had also recognized China's contribution. Speaking of the IAEA's first collaborating center for fusion energy research and training, which is inaugurated during the event and led by the Southwestern Institute of Physics (SWIP), China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that they have recognized the distinction of Chinese institutions like SWIP, which have been at the forefront of these efforts for many years. "They are now the first international collaborating center of the IAEA in the area of fusion."

Fusion energy, a crucial direction for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, offers prominent advantages compared to fission energy, including higher energy density, abundant raw material resources, lower radioactive contamination, and inherent safety. It is one of the key directions for future development in clean energy.

China attaches great importance to the development of fusion energy, stated Shan Zhongde, director of the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) at the meeting. The country has constructed multiple large-scale scientific facilities and is actively fostering deeper integration of industry, academia, and research, alongside strengthening international cooperation, Shan added.

China will work together with the IAEA, the ITER, and all nations to continuously advance global energy innovation and sustainable development, promote the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature, and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to building a clean, beautiful, and sustainable world, allowing fusion energy to better benefit humankind, Shan noted.

As one of the key partners of the ITER project, China has always abided by its international commitments and implemented with high quality the design and manufacture of 18 key components and systems it undertook, as well as the installation of core equipment, according to Shan.

Recent milestones include the successful installation of the vacuum vessel module and the timely delivery of critical components like the magnet support system, blanket shield modules, and feeder systems. In April, the final set of Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder components was shipped to the ITER site in France, marking the completion of all super-large components needed for ITER's magnet feeder system.

This contribution has been made possible thanks to domestic innovation. China has established a comprehensive nuclear industrial system and is advancing its fusion research through major scientific facilities. A landmark achievement was reached in 2025 when the HL-3 tokamak, an "artificial sun" facility in Chengdu, achieved atomic nucleus and electron temperatures both exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius, marking a new phase of combustion experiments. Furthermore, the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, another "artificial sun," set a new world record by maintaining a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for 1,066 seconds.

Demonstrating its commitment to open science, China has opened the HL-3 facility for global collaboration, which is now recognized as the only ITER satellite device in China. This aligns with China's broader policy of fostering partnerships -- the country has established cooperative relationships with over 140 nuclear fusion research institutions across more than 50 countries.

The challenging development of core components like the first wall, which faces plasma at extreme temperatures, exemplifies China's technical prowess. Chen Jiming, the ITER first wall project leader at CNNC, noted that addressing these unprecedented challenges has resulted in significant technological advancements and has spurred industrial growth.

By integrating its robust domestic research and development with steadfast international collaboration, China is actively contributing its wisdom and solutions to the global quest for a sustainable and clean energy future powered by fusion.