"Then we just withdrew from ITER? We spent so much money to join it..."
Xiao Le, dragging his suitcase and dressed in dusty clothes, stood at the door of his house with a complicated expression.
Of course, Xiao Le is not without confidence.
In short, let’s rest for a while and report back to Luyang later.
Luo Zhanyuan shook his head: "Otherwise? If we don't stop the loss in time, our losses will only be greater."
With this wave of repatriations, it is estimated that all of them will be blacklisted. Let alone study tours, normal travel will be affected.
Although the Chinese representatives of ITER are trying their best to buy time, things that should come will eventually come.
At least in his opinion, controllable nuclear fusion has just seen a shadow. It’s hard to say whether it will take another fifty years. Suddenly those who are engaged in fusion reactors will be the same as those who are engaged in fission reactors. , professionalism turned into sensitive technology.
But Zhou Chengfu didn't say this sentence in the end, he just kept it in his heart.
Later, he didn't care about making phone calls anymore.
"Maybe... it has something to do with the recent trade war. I don't know the specific situation." Xiao Le shook his head, sat on the sofa, picked up a cup and took a sip of water, "The morning before yesterday, we were preparing to attend a meeting During the seminar on plasma physics, the professor in charge of hosting us suddenly informed us that the seminar was temporarily cancelled. Then when we returned to the hotel, several people claiming to be FBI agents confiscated our communication equipment. And our room was searched..."
At this moment, he was sitting on the return plane and didn't know that he was already being remembered by someone.
According to Murphy's theorem, the more you worry about something, the more likely it will happen.
"nothing… "
…
To be honest, he is still a little confused now, wondering what these Americans are crazy about.
Xiao Zhiping: "I don't understand what you are studying, but your Luyang Institute of Physics should be regarded as the leader in controllable fusion research in our country, right? Come on, give me a voice, and let those Americans come and ask for help. Let's go back, we won't miss it!"
"Also, although this may not be the right thing to say from me, withdrawing from ITER may not necessarily be a bad thing. At least we can invest the money given to the Europeans into domestic nuclear fusion projects. "
Having said this, Director Luo paused for a moment.
Unexpectedly, a document signed by the president personally sent them all back to the country.
What's more, they are no longer leaders.
Many people don’t know this, and the news certainly never promotes it like this. The EAST device on the Science Island was not actually independently designed by a domestic research institute. It was mainly based on the DIII-D Tokamak device of General Atomics of the United States.
After all, the light at the foot of the Purple Mountain blinded the eyes of the whole world...
Professor Li, who led the team, gave them a week's leave and asked them to wait for the news at home. The person in charge of General Atomics said that he would make representations to the Department of Energy and the local court on this matter. After all, General Atomics does not want to lose this funder, but it may not mean much...
Hearing his father's words of encouragement, Xiao Le shook his head and continued eating.
This still makes him feel a little worried about the future of domestic controllable fusion industry...
Xiao Le shook his head: "Okay, okay, even if I tell you, you don't understand."
Seeing that his ten years of hard work might be ruined in one day, even though he knew that once the top management made a decision, the opinions of experts like him would probably be useless, he couldn't help but speak.
"Director Luo."
Wang Li had a surprised look on her face: "... You guys must have met a robber, right?"
It seems to be called STAR-2
Luo Zhanyuan: "What's wrong?"
Xiao Le shook his head: "What else are you going to do? Your visa has been cancelled!"
Before winning the cooperation of its allies, the United States plans to unilaterally exert a small amount of pressure on China.
Wang Li: "This, this is too scary... If you are sent to study abroad next time, I think you should not go."
"Um?"
"Oh, it doesn't matter if you don't go, I still don't believe it. Without them, the earth can't rotate? Atomic bombs and satellites will still be created in the same way?"
The doorbell rang and the security door opened.
Of course the EAST device can still be used, but how to study it in the future...
Hearing these words, Zhou Chengfu sighed secretly in his heart.
After getting his phone back, he found that the photos taken at the entrance of General Atomics had all been deleted. However, he originally only used those photos to post on WeChat Moments, so the loss was not huge.
Under malicious speculation, he even suspected that this was just a hawkish president trying to show his toughness towards China.
The first "victim" appeared.
"What if that kid is bragging—"
Xiao Le shook his head: "No... They have a search warrant from the local court. It can't be fake, right?"
However, compared to win-win cooperation, from now on we can only fight alone.
Now, their cooperation with General Atomics has been suspended.
"Ah sneeze!"
About ten hours ago, he and Deputy Director Luo, who was sitting opposite him at the moment, as well as several other experts from the China International Nuclear Fusion Energy Program Execution Center and representatives appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had just arrived at the Saint-President in France. Ley Durandez participated in an informal closed-door meeting of ITER.
It’s hard to say, but China is now planning to fully promote the stellarator.
"What? My son is back?" Her mother's voice came from far away in the living room. Looking at her son at the door, Wang Li stepped forward with joy and snatched the suitcase from his hand, "Come in quickly. Rest. Really, you came all the way back and didn’t know to call in advance. I’ll ask your dad to buy two elbows later, and mom will braise them for you.”
Although it is fake or not, it makes no difference.
"What's more, Professor Lu promises to complete the demonstration reactor before 2025... If he succeeds, we may not be passive, but may even take the initiative in our hands."
Hearing this name, Zhou Chengfu's eyebrows twitched fiercely.
Xiao Le smiled reluctantly: "... The situation was a bit sudden. Our communication equipment was taken away and was not returned to us until we got on the plane."
"Didn't you come back just after the Chinese New Year? Why are you coming back now?"
Xiao Zhiping was stunned for a moment, frowned and said, "Took it away? What happened?"
Learning itself is a part of scientific research. It is important to recognize your own shortcomings, but there is no need to belittle yourself. In fact, their EAST device has also made considerable innovations. For example, the fully superconducting D-section technology was pioneered by the Luyang Institute of Materials Research.
"The senior management basically has no hope for ITER now. With the sincerity shown by Europeans and Americans, even if we disclose this part of the technology, there is still a risk of being excluded. Before coming, the top leader in the ministry They held a special meeting with us, emphasizing that we should delay as long as we can, and we must not let go on technical issues. Either let them use their own technology in exchange, or let us avoid talking about everything."
Sure enough, what he was most worried about happened.
The last day of August.
It’s Lu Zhou again…
After all, although he couldn't swallow this breath, he was not stupid...
Although I really want to say this.
However, compared to the attitude of the US representatives, he is now more worried about the domestic situation.
In the final analysis, there are some differences between scientific research and farming. It does not mean that if someone else gives you seeds and hoes, you can plant them yourself.
Hearing the unfair treatment his son suffered, Xiao Zhiping's face was full of anger and he said with righteous indignation.
Perhaps because it is usually too high-profile and rushes to make headlines every year, the Luyang Institute of Materials Research, which originally had nothing to do with the STAR Device Research Institute, was innocently exposed.
After sniffing, Zhou Chengfu muttered in his heart.
Three days ago, he was visiting the DIII-D Laboratory of General Atomics in the United States. He originally planned to come back at the end of the year to celebrate the New Year.
Looking at his son standing at the door, Xiao Zhiping was stunned for a moment.
Is the temperature of the air conditioner lowered? It makes people feel chilly...
The final outcome of the meeting was not promising.
That's fine if it's a mature technology. As an unfinished technology, especially a large-scale scientific research project like controllable fusion that involves many disciplines, how to conduct subsequent research and what to do next is far from clear. More important than what has been done.
It's easy to say, but it's not that easy.
Now ITER is preparing to turn to star-simulating devices. The Americans and Europeans no longer want to take us to play with it. It is still unknown whether the domestic CFTER will be developed.
After all, it’s almost 2020, and there seems to be another general election over there.
We can only rely on our abilities.
With a hint of probing, Zhou Chengfu asked: "What do you mean by this now?"
Luo Zhanyuan still respected this academician-level domestic controllable nuclear fusion expert. After hearing this question, he explained.