Xinhua Exclusive Interview | China Makes Significant Contributions to the "Artificial Sun" Project — Interview with Alain Bécoulet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Scientist of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Organization

On July 26, 2027, Xinhua News Agency published an exclusive interview with Alain Bécoulet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Scientist of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization, on China's significant contributions to the "Artificial Sun" project and its role in accelerating global fusion research. Bécoulet noted that China plays a fundamental role in supplying ITER components (superconducting technology, cables, magnet manufacturing, cryostats, etc.), and that the tokamak installation work undertaken by the Chinese consortium "exceeded expectations in terms of time and cost." He also stated that facilities such as EAST, HL-3, and BEST provide ITER with experimental predictions, component testing, and technical twin validation. He believes that through sustained investment and international cooperation, China has begun to play a leading role in the global fusion field.

The following is the full text of the Xinhua News Agency release:

Alain Bécoulet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Scientist of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization, said in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency that China has made significant contributions to the construction of the "Artificial Sun" — a major international scientific project — at the industrial, technical, and scientific levels, and is driving the accelerated development of global fusion research.

This is a file photo of Alain Bécoulet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Scientist of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization. Photo provided by Xinhua (courtesy of the interviewee)

ITER is an "Artificial Sun" device jointly constructed by seven parties: the European Union, China, Russia, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and India. The project aims to simulate the nuclear fusion process that powers the sun and explore the commercial feasibility of controlled fusion technology. According to information released by the ITER Organization, most civil construction work has been completed, and the project is currently in the phase of core equipment assembly and system commissioning preparation, with full scientific operations expected to begin in the mid-2030s.

Bécoulet stated that China plays a fundamental role in supplying ITER components, with contributions including superconducting technology, cables, and magnet manufacturing. China has also provided the cryostat for low-temperature testing of toroidal field coils, one of the major large-scale components delivered to the ITER site.

Bécoulet noted that one of the largest assembly contracts at ITER is the installation of the tokamak fusion experimental device, undertaken by a consortium led by China Nuclear Engineering Co., Ltd. He said the Chinese team "exceeded expectations in terms of time and cost" and is a key force in accelerating the project.

Beyond engineering and industrial contributions, China's scientific community is also providing support to ITER. Bécoulet indicated that the ITER team collaborates with major institutions such as the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Southwestern Institute of Physics under the China National Nuclear Corporation, conducting experimental planning, simulations, and prototype validation. China's "Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak" (EAST) and "HL-3" (China's Tokamak HL-3) have been used to predict experimental behavior and test related components.

Bécoulet specifically mentioned the compact fusion energy experimental device (BEST) currently under construction in China. "This device is almost a technical twin of ITER, equivalent to a small-scale ITER. We have decided to jointly commission this device with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to pre-validate the procedures, tools, and experience needed for future ITER commissioning, thereby accelerating the ITER process," Bécoulet said.

As ITER's Chief Scientist, Bécoulet has long been engaged in fusion energy research and has collaborated with Chinese counterparts since 1991. He co-founded the China-France Fusion Joint Research Center and has received the China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award.

In Bécoulet's view, China started from relatively small laboratories with limited technology and experience, but through substantial resource investment, active international cooperation, and talent development, it has accelerated its fusion program and is now beginning to play a leading role in the global fusion field.

What impressed him most is that China's fusion sector has formed a multi-entity advancement pattern, with exploration of different pathways reflecting the overall maturity and strategic nature of China's science and technology system. "China is not just doing individual projects; it has genuine vitality, planning fusion development strategies and overall programs at the national level," he said.

"This is an endeavor that requires resources, actors, and innovative spirit. Only those who truly take action will drive things forward and benefit from it," Bécoulet said.