China aims to be a leader in Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear Fusion plant - China

China is building a massive nuclear fusion facility in Mianyang, estimated to be 50% larger than the U.S. National Ignition Facility (NIF), to advance both nuclear weapons design and clean energy research.

The facility features laser bays that will fuse hydrogen isotopes using ultra-powerful lasers, similar to NIF’s approach, which achieved “scientific breakeven” in 2022.

This project serves dual purposes: enabling China to improve its nuclear arsenal without live testing, and exploring fusion as a potential clean energy source. The scale of the experimental chamber suggests ambitions for more extensive experiments than those conducted at NIF.

Additionally, China aims to lead in fusion energy, targeting operational power plants by 2028 and commercial applications by 2035

FAF Review

There is significant momentum in the competition between the United States and China in the areas of technology and innovation.

Moving from advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) to developments in nuclear fusion, we observe a race encompassing advanced nuclear weapons and clean energy research.

With the implementation of former President Trump's executive order on AI deregulation, which involves the removal of barriers, we are entering a potentially precarious phase.

As AI progresses towards artificial general intelligence (AGI) and eventually artificial superintelligence (ASI), we may find ourselves living in a science fiction-like world where only humanoids exist on Earth.

By 2025, AI will be increasingly utilized in defense, accompanied by the looming threat of nuclear weapons. Alliances are forming that could further disrupt the balance in the race for supremacy.

For instance, China's efforts to construct a nuclear fusion plant operational by 2035 reflect its forward-looking approach.

According to reports from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, China is projected to surpass the United States in GDP, assuming the position of the leading global economy by 2050.

At FAF, we foresee a bleak future characterized by a race for supremacy that serves the mutual interests of nations, rather than benefiting humanity, and poses risks to societal existence and well-being.

This competition is unlikely to abate as the world enters the next century, a period that history will eventually document.