In the race of quantum computing, Western technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Intel have gained first-mover advantages, but Chinese researchers are striving to catch up.
Recently, Pan Jianwei, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduced some of China’s deployments in quantum computing: The first step is to build computers faster than the fastest supercomputers available now; the second step is to build dedicated quantum simulators of hundreds of qubits, and finally realize general quantum computing in another 20 years or so.
Pan asserted that the development of quantum computing in China is faster than expected. In the near future, China is expected to surpass Google’s quantum superiority in photonic systems and superconducting systems. In the long term, China will spend the next 20 to 30 years first promoting quantum security technology, based on which strong computing capabilities on the cloud will be built up and a quantum Internet integrating the space with the ground will eventually become available. In addition, in order to achieve this goal, China should be equipped with quantum computers with common basic functions.