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In recent
years, China has become a world leader in quantum science and technology
breakthroughs, with many made by scientists from Hefei, capital of the
eastern province of Anhui. The latest
advance comes from a research team at the University of Science and
Technology of China, or USTC, in the city. The team has designed a
prototype 62-quantum-bit programmable superconducting quantum computer. Six months
before news of the advance was published in the international journal
Science, the scientists, led by the university's renowned physicist Pan
Jianwei, created the world's first light-based quantum computer. The scientists
said the computer can reliably demonstrate "quantum computational
advantage", a milestone in which a quantum machine can tackle a problem
no classical supercomputer can solve within a reasonable amount of time. Three of
China's top quantum scientists－Guo Guangcan, Du Jiangfeng and Pan, all
academicians at the Chinese Academy of Sciences－work at the university. Together, they have won the nickname "GDP". With more
breakthroughs coming from local labs, the commercialization of quantum
science and technology has been gathering momentum in the city. Five private
companies working in fast computing, precise measurements and
long-distance secure communications using quantum technology have been
founded in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone. They are all
located on a road in the zone that leads to "Quantum Avenue", a
thoroughfare that is home to a large number of related companies, said
Lyu Changfu, deputy director of the zone's administrative committee. According to the Anhui authorities, more than 20 quantum-related startups are currently operating in the province. Initially founded in the zone by USTC in May 2009, QuantumCTek was the first company in Anhui to operate in the sector. "Our primary
task is to transform quantum communication from academic papers to real
products and services, especially Quantum Key Distribution, which is an
important technology for information security," said Zhao Yong, the
company's president. China has now
built quantum-secured communication networks extending more than 7,000
kilometers, with more than 6,000 km of those networks currently using
QuantumCTek's products, according to the company. In July,
QuantumCTek listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange Science and Technology
Innovation Board at a price of 36.18 yuan ($5.61) per share. Now, each
share is worth about 190 yuan. As the scope
of the companies' business varies, more quantum outfits have become
potential "unicorns"－startups worth more than $1 billion－and they are
looking to list and trade publicly, said Lyu, adding that more such
enterprises have been founded in recent years. Pan, who began
putting his team together at USTC in 2001, said, "Anhui province and
Hefei city both provide good conditions for scientists to conduct cool
research." "In recent
years, the Anhui provincial and Hefei municipal governments have
invested a total of 4.6 billion yuan to support research, scientific
facilities and education in the quantum science and technology sector,"
he told the 2020 China (Anhui)Transformation Fair of Scientific and
Technological Achievements, which was recently held in Hefei. In a previous
interview, Pan said he was pleased to see that more entrepreneurs are
willing to support fundamental scientific research, even though such
activity may not appear profitable in the short run. Luo Xisheng,
vice-president of USTC, said, "Money is not a problem as many privately
owned funds want to be part of the sector because they believe the
technology will fundamentally reshape many industries and thus enjoy a
very bright future." Lyu said, "As
these new technologies are brought closer to people's lives, these
companies will lead industrial development in the future." Zhao said his
company will also assist the CAS Center for Excellence in Quantum
Information and Quantum Physics, which is headed by Pan, to upgrade its
quantum computing cloud platform next year to connect real quantum
computers. "Our dream is
to build quantum information networks, such as a quantum internet, which
will connect quantum computers, quantum sensors and other quantum
terminals via quantum communication technologies," he said. "That will enable information and communications technology systems with quantum ability to become more secure and intelligent."
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