China's mega-science facility construction fuels its global innovation leadership

China's expanding network of advanced scientific facilities is propelling breakthroughs in research and industrial applications, reinforcing the nation's position as a global innovation leader.

Recent months have seen accelerated progress in major projects nationwide. In south China's Guangzhou City, construction has commenced on two major scientific facilities, the Cold Spring Ecosystem Research Facility and the Human Cell Lineage Facility.

Meanwhile in Beijing, several cutting-edge research installations, including the Comprehensive Extreme Condition Experiment Facility and the Meridian Project (Phase II), have recently passed national acceptance inspections. Of the 37 planned science facilities at the Huairou Science City, 16 have now opened their doors to international researchers.

A standout development is Asia's first fourth-generation High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) in Beijing, China's flagship synchrotron radiation facility, which has officially launched its joint commissioning phase, as part of the final construction stage.

This "super X-ray machine", capable of generating light 1 trillion times brighter than sunlight, will provide crucial support for cutting-edge research in advanced materials, aerospace, biomedicine and other fields.

"The facility achieves nanometer-level spatial resolution and picosecond-level temporal resolution. The experimental results already demonstrate the outstanding performance characteristics of this fourth-generation light source," said Pan Weimin, the project's chief director.

China's scientific infrastructure now includes over 60 major facilities among 77 planned national projects, with several achieving world-class status.

The progress spans diverse fields, from the agricultural "Shennong Facility" for crop phenomics research, to final adjustments of the high-efficiency and low-carbon gas turbine test facility, to upgrades at the 4,410-meter-high Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) on the Tibetan Plateau.

These facilities are yielding tangible results. Hefei's Steady High Magnetic Field Facility (SHMFF) has supported more than 3,800 research projects, contributing to breakthroughs in superconductors and pharmaceuticals.

In Guangdong Province, the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) has achieved domestically produced photomultipliers with world-leading efficiency, while the China Spallation Neutron Source in Dongguan City provides crucial data for aviation and energy technologies.

China has moved up one spot to 11th place in the ranking of the world's most innovative economies, making it one of the fastest risers over the past decade, according to the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024 released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

With continued strategic investment in research infrastructure, China is systematically transforming scientific ambition into technological leadership and industrial advancement.

China's mega-science facility construction fuels its global innovation leadership

A Chinese medical team is intensifying disease prevention efforts in Myanmar's Mandalay, to curb outbreak risks after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck the country in March.

Mandalay is among the hardest-hit regions and faces compounding crises including disrupted water supplies, overcrowded shelters, and degraded sanitation systems. Equipped with emergency medical supplies and equipment, the Chinese team with experts from the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, focuses on mitigating disease risks in quake-affected regions.

The 50-member team has conducted the second round of investigations at four shelter sites in the city. Their work includes mosquito-borne disease surveillance, environmental sampling, disinfection training, and post-disaster mental health support for survivors.

"Our epidemic prevention team has conducted monitoring and assessment of vector-borne organisms at each shelter site, and carried out environmental disinfection based on the monitoring findings to reduce vector density and thus minimize the risk of vector-borne diseases. We have also conducted regular monitoring of drinking water samples and sewage systems to identify signs of waterborne disease outbreaks early, enabling timely and effective intervention," said Chen Lei, deputy director of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration's emergency response department and leader of the medical team. The Chinese medical tea has established collaboration mechanisms with Mandalay's provincial government and health department, providing specialized training to local medical personnel to enhance long-term resilience.

"We are very graceful to have the opportunity to participate in such technical training, where we have learned more professional knowledge beyond our regular work, understood what action we should take in such disasters, and what international standards and experiences are. To share such knowledge is very helpful for us to improve and make progress," said Thura Aung, a medical worker in Mandalay's Chanmyathazi Township.

The earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, claiming nearly 3,800 lives and injuring more than 5,000 people, with 129 others still unaccounted for as of April 18, according to official data.

The team's deployment is part of China's ongoing post-disaster relief mission. Its trip marks China's second health and epidemic prevention aid mission to Myanmar. The first team returned on April 6 after a nine-day deployment.

Chinese medical team bolsters post-quake disease control in Mandalay