The US has been the leader in nuclear fusion for decades. Now China is in position to win the race

The vibrant city of Shanghai celebrates national holidays with world-famous light shows, illuminating skyscrapers in dazzling colours as beacons of Chinese innovation.

Here, scientists and engineers work day and night to create the next big leap in global technology, from 6G internet and advanced AI to next-generation robotics. It is also here, on an unassuming downtown street, that a small startup called Energy Singularity is working on something extraordinary: nuclear fusion energy.

American companies and industry experts worry that America is losing its decades-long lead in the race to master this virtually limitless form of clean energy, as new fusion ...