China's representative bodies in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Program, the Institute of Plasma Physics of Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have set aside a 200-mu plot of land (a little more than 13 hectares squared) for the construction of an international thermonuclear experimental fusion zone. This project was recently approved and assessed by a group of experts from the Institute of Basic Scientific Research at CAS.

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Program (ITER), commonly referred to as the project to build an "artificial sun", is a major international scientific project �C second only in scope to the International Space Station Program �C to build a thermonuclear experimental fusion reactor. When the temperature is raised to nearly 100 million degrees, a fusion reaction will occur, producing deuterium, tritium and plasmas and releasing vast amounts of energy.

China is one of seven countries collaborating on the project. According to the agreement, China will provide 10 percent of the total investment �C 4.6 billion euros �C which will be fulfilled by providing such things as related parts and components needed for the reactor.

The CAS Institute of Plasma Physics will accept a considerable amount of responsibility, developing components, superconducting technology, high-power power supply technology, remote control technology and more. Many of them are core projects of the ITER program. It is understood that the experimental zone will be the site of research and testing as well as provide a base for international exchanges of thermonuclear fusion research.

By People's Daily Online