The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) is a Tokamak with superconductive toroidal field magnets and superconductive poloidal field magnets. EAST has a D-shape cross-section. It will explore some frontier physical issues concerned with the tokamak fusion reactor. The construction and operations of the EAST device will definitely provide rich physical and technical experiences and databases, which with ones accumulated in the other devices in the world establishes bases for building a steady-state, safe and economical efficient fusion reactor in the future.

EAST project was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in July 1998. Construction started in October, 2000; assembly was finished at the end of 2005, and commissioning was completed in March 2006. Its design, R&D, construction and assembly have been done mainly by scientists, engineers and technicians in the ASIPP.