China builds world's largest fusion research centre – Reuters
Based on satellite images, Reuters reports that China has completed construction of the world's largest nuclear fusion research center. The publication emphasizes that Beijing will now have new capabilities in both peaceful nuclear energy and nuclear weapons development.
Work at the site near the city of Mianyang in Sichuan province has reportedly been underway since 2010.
Satellite images show four outer "arms" that will house laser bays and a central experimental bay that will house a target chamber containing hydrogen isotopes that powerful lasers will fuse to produce energy.
– Reuters quotes American expert Decker Evelet.
The publication emphasizes that the complex is similar to the National Fusion Facility (NIF) located in California. At the same time, the Chinese center is 50% larger than the American one. It is obvious that the facility in Mianyang will give Chinese scientists greater opportunities to develop and improve nuclear weapons.
Any country with a NIF-type facility can and probably will increase confidence and improve existing weapons designs, and facilitate the development of future bomb designs without testing the bombs themselves.
– Reuters worries.
At the same time, the agency reassures readers by reporting the quantitative superiority of the United States over China in the area of nuclear weapons. The publication recalls that the United States has conducted over 1000 different tests and has more than five thousand nuclear warheads. China, in turn, has conducted only 45 corresponding tests and has about 500 nuclear charges.
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