China and US in a High-Stakes Race to Harness the Artificial Sun

Less than an hour from Beijing, in Langfang, Hebei province, a cluster of experimental facilities is quietly shaping the future of global energy. At the heart of the ENN Group campus sits the EXL-50U, a compact spherical tokamak designed to mimic the processes that power the sun. Here, engineers are working to confine plasma at extreme temperatures and pressures, aiming to achieve nuclear fusion — a nearly limitless source of clean energy.

On a recent visit, the ENN team was installing new neutral beam heating systems, designed to raise plasma temperatures to an astonishing 100 million degrees Celsius (180 million degrees Fahrenheit). At such conditions, light atomic nuclei like hydrogen can collide and fuse into heavier atoms, releasing tremendous amounts of energy. Unlike nuclear fission, the process used in conventional power plants, fusion produces minimal radioactive waste, making it a safer and more sustainable solution.

Ambitious Targets and Advanced Technology

ENN Group, historically focused on low-carbon solutions such as geothermal and bioenergy, pivoted to fusion in 2017, recognizing its potential as the “ultimate energy solution,” according to Chief Engineer Yang Yuanming. The company has since invested billions of yuan into developing its fusion program, building next-generation devices like the Helong-2 tokamak. Its R&D team of over 300 engineers includes specialists trained at leading international institutions.

The compact, spherical design of ENN’s tokamak, combined with hydrogen-boron fuel, reflects a strategic choice for efficiency and sustainability. Magnetic confinement technology allows plasma to remain stable long enough to sustain fusion reactions, a critical challenge in bringing this experimental energy source closer to commercial viability.

China is not alone in this pursuit. Across the globe, fusion startups and research institutions are targeting the early 2030s for commercial fusion power. In the U.S., companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Helion Energy are pioneering alternative tokamak and field-reversed configuration designs, raising billions in private investment. Yet, experts acknowledge China’s unique advantages: state-backed funding, a vast talent pool, advanced manufacturing, and a robust supply chain capable of rapid prototyping and scaling.

A Coordinated National Push

China’s government and private sector are collaborating aggressively. Annual investment in fusion is estimated at US$1.5 billion, nearly double U.S. federal funding. The recent creation of China Fusion Energy, a state-backed company with US$2.1 billion in capital, signals Beijing’s intent to commercialize fusion by 2050. Supported by seven state-run giants across nuclear and petroleum sectors, it merges private innovation with public resources, echoing the country’s successful strategies in electric vehicles, solar panels, and battery technologies.

China’s first-generation superconducting tokamak, EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak), has been operational since 2006 in Hefei, proving the feasibility of sustained plasma confinement. Building on this, NeoFusion’s Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) is under construction and expected to achieve net energy gain by 2027, a milestone toward commercially viable fusion power.

The country’s edge lies not only in funding but also in materials science. High-temperature superconductors, developed with contributions from both domestic and international collaborations, allow smaller, more powerful magnetic fields, enabling more compact and efficient reactors. This breakthrough could be crucial for scaling up fusion from the laboratory to power plants capable of supplying electricity to cities.

Global Competition and the Path Ahead

While China makes rapid strides, the U.S. remains a formidable contender. Commonwealth Fusion Systems, with over 1,000 experts and nearly US$3 billion in capital, continues to innovate, alongside Helion Energy, which is constructing a fusion plant to power Microsoft by 2028. Other Chinese startups, such as NovaFusionX, Startorus Fusion, and Energy Singularity, are also joining the race, building on decades of experience from earlier projects like the HL-1 tokamak, operational since the 1980s.

Industry observers suggest that the next five years will be decisive. Whether China or the U.S. reaches commercial fusion first, the competition has already accelerated global innovation, bringing humanity closer to the long-envisioned “artificial sun.”

If successful, nuclear fusion could transform the world’s energy landscape, providing a clean, virtually unlimited power source that could power cities, industries, and economies for centuries — all without the greenhouse emissions that drive climate change. For scientists in Langfang and engineers across China, this vision is no longer a distant dream but an achievable target within the next decade.