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US satellites identify world's largest nuclear fusion laboratory in China. Learn how China took a significant step forward in nuclear power generation.
U.S. satellite images released in January 2025 reveal that China is building a massive nuclear fusion research center in the southwestern city of Mianyang. Experts say the facility, called Laser Fusion Core Devices Laboratory, has four external arms that will house laser compartments and a central experiment chamber designed for the fusion of hydrogen isotopes, and would be the largest nuclear fusion laboratory in the world. The experiment chamber is estimated to be about 50% larger than that of National Ignition Facility (NIF) of the United States, currently the largest in the world. This development could have significant implications both for power generation and for improving China's nuclear capabilities.
The importance of China's nuclear power project
This nuclear energy project, discovered by US satellites and still largely unknown to the general public, intrigues as much as it worries. Nuclear fusion, a complex technology, aims to replicate the reactions of energy of the sun. However, in addition to its civilian applications, this type of research can also be used to improve nuclear weapons without violating international treaties.
The world’s largest nuclear fusion laboratory in China surpasses the size of the American National Ignition (NIF). With an experimental bay 50 percent larger, it could become the world’s largest nuclear fusion facility. The four laser arms converging into a central chamber are reminiscent of the NIF structure, but on a much more ambitious scale.
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The facility spotted by U.S. satellites is part of a Chinese strategy to catch up in the nuclear energy field. China has conducted fewer nuclear tests than the U.S. or Russia, and the lab could allow it to simulate explorations and improve its weapons without resorting to real tests.
Understand how a nuclear fusion laboratory works
Nuclear fusion involves compressing hydrogen isotopes using powerful lasers to generate a nuclear reaction. Although this technology is often seen as a way to generate renewable energy, it is also of interest to the military. In fact, this technology makes it possible to simulate the extreme conditions of a nuclear explosion, while also complying with treaties with other countries.
International treaties such as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) prohibit actual nuclear explosions. However, laser-based nuclear fusion experiments, such as the largest nuclear fusion laboratory in China, which was spotted by U.S. satellites, are considered “subcritical,” meaning they do not produce an uncontrolled chain reaction.
In this way, the new nuclear energy laboratory will allow the study of the properties of nuclear materials and the conditions for fusion without violating any agreements. For China, the world's largest nuclear fusion laboratory represents an opportunity to develop in two main areas: energy and military. However, this duality raises questions about Beijing's true objective, especially in a context of growing geopolitical tensions.
China is not the only one investing in nuclear energy
China, with the world's largest nuclear fusion laboratory, is not the only country investing in laser nuclear fusion.
The US, France and other nuclear powers already have similar sites. But the scale of the Chinese project could reshape the technological and strategic balances. As the race for fusion gains momentum, the international community must find a balance between preventing military risks and scientific cooperation. This project perfectly illustrates this dual challenge.
It is worth noting that nuclear fusion is a physical reaction in which two light atomic nuclei, such as hydrogen, join together to form a single heavier nucleus, releasing an immense amount of energy. This process is at work in stars, such as the Sun, where extreme temperatures and pressures allow the nuclei to overcome their electrical repulsion.
Source: Reuters
