President Hu Jintao Inspected EAST Superconducting Tokamak

Braving snow and a cold front, President Hu Jintao visited Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) to inspect EAST Superconducting Tokamak, the National Mega-projects of Science Research Sunday afternoon, January 13.

　  President Hu listened carefully to the overview report by Prof Li Jiangang, Director of ASIPP, about self-designed, self-made EAST and introduction about ITER project. President Hu showed great interest in tokamak, and punctuated Prof Li’s report with questions about EAST’s next-step mission and plan, the relationship between EAST and ITER, ITER current progress and its role in the commercial fusion energy development.

　  While President Hu visited EAST Control Room and Experiment Hall, Prof Yuanxi Wan introduced EAST structure, R&D, key technology breakthroughs, reviewed the contribution that Chinese scientists have made to ITER, and briefed the roadmap for future fusion development in China.

　  President Hu was delighted to see EAST tokamak and learn about the latest contribution made by China to ITER under multinational collaboration. He kept asking questions and praised these independent innovation achievements. “What are you doing is a pioneering cause,” President Hu commended, while addressing ASIPP scientists. He continued that he strongly believed that China can and will “play an important role in world fusion research field ”, and he looked forward to “early breakthroughs” in fusion energy utilization for the benefit of the whole humankind. 

　  Accompanying President Hu were leaders from central government departments, local provincial and municipal governments.(Dong Shao Hua reports)