China has announced that it will open access to ten of its major scientific research facilities to international researchers this year, in a move aimed at strengthening global scientific collaboration and open innovation.
The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) Annual Conference in Beijing.
Among the facilities to be made available are several of China’s most advanced research infrastructures, including the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in southwestern Guizhou Province, a world-leading radio astronomy instrument used for deep-space observation.
Other key facilities include the Space Environment Simulation and Research Infrastructure in Heilongjiang Province and the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak in Anhui Province, which is used for nuclear fusion research.
The initiative is part of China’s broader Action Plan for International Cooperation in Open Science, launched in 2025, which seeks to promote a more open, equitable, and non-discriminatory global research environment.
Chinese authorities said the policy reflects efforts to strengthen international scientific collaboration and support joint research on frontier technologies and fundamental scientific challenges.
The move also aligns with China’s broader development strategy outlined in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), which emphasizes building an open and globally competitive innovation ecosystem and encouraging international scientific partnerships.