President Xi Jin Ping aims to strengthen China’s quantum computing industry through an aggressive strategy.
If you have been reading our past articles on China, then this would be a treat for you. Around two weeks ago, President Xi Jin Ping called for increased spending in quantum technology. He addressed this one on October 16 in a group study session, saying that Chinese quantum companies must hurry up and seize opportunities.
According to President Xi, he believes that because quantum technology is getting more and more advanced and could lead to technological evolution, increased quantum spending is the way to go. It would be beneficial to Chinese national security. The group study was organised to ‘understand the world’s quantum development battleground, analyse our (China) quantum industry, and improve our quantum technology industry from our findings’.
That quantum technology can affect humanity’s worldview immensely and change the world is important. However, the Chinese quantum community has many challenges ahead, since when compared to the international quantum community, it lags behind and has fewer accomplishments. President Xi maintains faith that perseverance in building up Chinese quantum computing will protect national interests and make China a power capable of facing threats.
In order to achieve this goal, China would have to observe how international quantum computing companies and institutions work, taking the best from them, and developing better products. It would mean that China has to fight an uphill battle. Engineering, software, personnel, all of these have to be the best. Experience in this field is everything.
Quantum designs, architecture, and future endeavours must also be strengthened and improved upon. China has to be brave, willing to take risks, and be aggressive in learning and building up these sectors. Multiple sciences and fields have to cooperate in order to form into a mighty force.
While these sciences and fields can work together to help China get a leg up in the quantum race, there must be an organised and coherent way to do so. President Xi has thus called for a stringent structure where every cog in this proverbial machine can work together without chaos and disunity. They will have to work towards China’s interests and do so quickly and aggressively.
Increased Education and Training in Quantum Technology
President Xi specifically called for increased training in quantum technology researchers and other personnel. They will have to be the best in their field and trained to be able to work with each other. These brilliant young people will work in optimum conditions where their value and dignity is intact, and given creative freedom plus resources. President Xi seems to see a lot of hope in these new geniuses and wants to leave the country’s future in their hands.
With all these accounted for, President Xi also talked about creativity in the scientific community and how this would help China become a strong country. The researchers will have to be able to be creative and self-starting while being guided by the government. Only through creativity can China enjoy being on an equal footing with the international quantum computing community.
As we can see, President Xi is advocating for an aggressive quantum plan, one that can put China at the forefront of the global quantum race. China is steadily advancing in this field, and even its rivals cannot help but acknowledge the Chinese quantum community’s tenacity. It does remain to be seen as to whether this strategy will work.
We have covered news from a variety of Chinese companies working on Quantum Computing. Alibaba, Baidu and and Tencent are two of the largest Chinese tech companies and they are working on Quantum research and development.