Overview
- China completed and publicly tested a 21‑metre by 12‑metre, 582‑tonne D‑shaped toroidal superconducting magnet and a high‑temperature superconducting central solenoid on Tuesday.
- The research team says the magnet has roughly 1.3 times the volume and three times the stored energy of comparable ITER magnets and that near‑zero resistance joints allow currents above 100,000 amperes.
- Researchers state both components were produced using domestic materials as part of a six‑year program that generated 47 patents and 25 industry standards.
- Chinese authorities frame the milestone as a step toward a Burning Plasma Tokamak by the end of 2027 and first fusion power generation around 2030.
- Significant technical work remains because teams still must assemble full reactors, prove long‑duration operation and materials endurance, and demonstrate net energy output before commercial fusion is viable.