Abstract Sustained high normalized beta ( β N ∼ 1.9 ) plasmas with an ITER-like tungsten divertor have been achieved on EAST tokamak recently. The high power NBI heating system of 4.8 MW and the 4.6 GHz lower hybrid wave of 1 MW were developed and applied to produce edge and internal transport barriers in high β N discharges. The central flat q profile with q ( ρ ) ∼ 1 at ρ 0.3 region and edge safety factor q 95 = 4.7 is identified by the multi-channel far-infrared laser polarimeter and the EFIT code. The fraction of non-inductive current is about 40%. The relation between fishbone activity and ITB formation is observed and discussed.