Graphical abstract

Fusion energy is a promising source for clean energy, which could solve issues of energy shortages and environmental pollution. Research into controlled fusion energy has been ongoing for over half a century. China has created a clear roadmap for magnetic confinement fusion development, wherein superconducting tokamaks will be used in commercial fusion reactors. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) is the world’s first fully superconducting tokamak with upper and lower divertors, which aims at long-pulse steady-state H-mode operation, where 101 s H-mode discharge had been achieved.