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China’s fastest quantum computer is set for launch but the machine won’t be anywhere near the world’s fastest, underscoring China’s quantum laggardness vis-a-vis the US.
Known as Wukong, Chinese mythology’s Monkey King, the locally-made 72-qubit computer has now in its final testing stage and is scheduled to come online next month, Zhang Hui, general manager of the Hefei-based Origin Quantum Computing Technology, said.
Last November, America’s IBM launched the 433-qubit Osprey, the world’s fastest quantum computer to date. Intel unveiled its 49-qubit quantum chip, known as Tangle Lake, in January 2018 while Google debuted its 72-qubit Bristlecone in March that same year.
Chinese scientists openly acknowledge the quantum gap with the West.
“China is indeed in the first echelon of quantum science research in the world,” Zhang said in a Guancha.cn article in December. “In quantum communication, China ranks among the top in the world in the number of papers and patents.” However, he said, “in quantum computing, we are relatively behind.”
Zhang said that’s because China’s overall industrial foundation is less advanced than the West’s. He noted that the development of quantum computers involves many advanced engineering issues, including the production of superconducting chips and traditional semiconductors – crucial high-tech realms where China lags the US and West.
Currently, China still needs foreign equipment such as electron-beam lithography to make its superconducting chips. Japan, which is following America’s lead in restricting China’s access to high-end chip production equipment, is dominant in the e-beam lithography market.
Citing public data, Zhang estimated that China is about three to four years behind leading countries in terms of quantum hardware. He also added that there is a huge gap between China and the US in the industrial applications of quantum computing.
“Leading players such as IBM and Google started exploring industrial applications as early as the 1990s. But it’s only since the establishment of Origin Quantum in 2017 that we have begun to explore industrial applications,” he said.
He also said Intel enjoys an advantage in the production of quantum chips due to its experience and know-how in making semiconductors.
Banned by the US from obtaining the most advanced chips and chip-making equipment, China is now investing heavily in quantum, artificial intelligence and aerospace technologies with the hope, as expressed by some Chinese media, of passing the West like “overtaking others on a bend” in auto racing.
“At this stage, Zhang said, “these strongest teams in the world are indeed far ahead of us in terms of funds, talents and equipment. I think the goal of ‘overtaking others on a bend’ is still a long way off for us. What we are trying to do is to follow them as closely as possible and make some contributions.”
asiatimes.com
Known as Wukong, Chinese mythology’s Monkey King, the locally-made 72-qubit computer has now in its final testing stage and is scheduled to come online next month, Zhang Hui, general manager of the Hefei-based Origin Quantum Computing Technology, said.
Last November, America’s IBM launched the 433-qubit Osprey, the world’s fastest quantum computer to date. Intel unveiled its 49-qubit quantum chip, known as Tangle Lake, in January 2018 while Google debuted its 72-qubit Bristlecone in March that same year.
Chinese scientists openly acknowledge the quantum gap with the West.
“China is indeed in the first echelon of quantum science research in the world,” Zhang said in a Guancha.cn article in December. “In quantum communication, China ranks among the top in the world in the number of papers and patents.” However, he said, “in quantum computing, we are relatively behind.”
Zhang said that’s because China’s overall industrial foundation is less advanced than the West’s. He noted that the development of quantum computers involves many advanced engineering issues, including the production of superconducting chips and traditional semiconductors – crucial high-tech realms where China lags the US and West.
Currently, China still needs foreign equipment such as electron-beam lithography to make its superconducting chips. Japan, which is following America’s lead in restricting China’s access to high-end chip production equipment, is dominant in the e-beam lithography market.
Citing public data, Zhang estimated that China is about three to four years behind leading countries in terms of quantum hardware. He also added that there is a huge gap between China and the US in the industrial applications of quantum computing.
“Leading players such as IBM and Google started exploring industrial applications as early as the 1990s. But it’s only since the establishment of Origin Quantum in 2017 that we have begun to explore industrial applications,” he said.
He also said Intel enjoys an advantage in the production of quantum chips due to its experience and know-how in making semiconductors.
Banned by the US from obtaining the most advanced chips and chip-making equipment, China is now investing heavily in quantum, artificial intelligence and aerospace technologies with the hope, as expressed by some Chinese media, of passing the West like “overtaking others on a bend” in auto racing.
“At this stage, Zhang said, “these strongest teams in the world are indeed far ahead of us in terms of funds, talents and equipment. I think the goal of ‘overtaking others on a bend’ is still a long way off for us. What we are trying to do is to follow them as closely as possible and make some contributions.”
China's fastest yet quantum computer still way behind US - Asia Times
China’s fastest quantum computer called Wukong, the name of the Monkey King in Chinese mythology, is set to be launched in July.
asiatimes.com
