The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization held their 2018 Media Open Day from Oct 10 to 11.

A total of 30 reporters from Xinhua News Agency, China News Service and Nouvelles D’Europe visited the experimental base and conducted a detailed inspection of the progress of the world’s second largest international cooperation program. 

During the open days, Bernard Bigot, secretary-general of the ITER Organization, and Tony Donne, CEO of ITER-supporting EUROfusion, attended the press conference, where they held exchanges with the reporters. 

Bigot praised China’s contribution to the program, noting that the country had made a great contribution, showed great enthusiasm and that the Chinese government provided sufficient support. 

“China is the backbone and a role model of the program as China can always deliver the innovative specified modules that meet the prescribed specifications and quality on time,” he said. 

The Southwestern Institute of Physics of the China National Nuclear Corporation, one of China’s key research institutes on atomic fusion, has undertaken several tasks for the ITER Program, including the research and development of key components, manufacturing equipment and decision-making management. The institute has made several breakthroughs in ITER and domestic nuclear fusion research. 

The ITER Program is one of the world’s largest international technological programs. Launched 11 years ago, it aims to explore the feasibility of commercializing nuclear fusion technology by simulating the nuclear fusion processes of the sun and is hoping to making the technology commercial by 2050. 

The EU, China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, India and Russia subsidize the program. Among them, the financial support provided by the EU accounts for 45 percent, while the other six parties contribute about nine percent each.