China’s Jiuzhang 4.0 boostsJiuzhang 4.0 boosts photonic quantum computing
Researchers in China say Jiuzhang 4.0 has reached new efficiency levels in photonic quantum computing, according to a paper published in May 2026.
The system’s performance is being presented as a step toward overcoming photon loss, a key obstacle that has slowed large-scale quantum machines and matters for the field’s global race toward practical quantum advantage.
- China has invested heavily in quantum research as part of its wider technology strategy.
- The name Jiuzhang comes from a classic Chinese mathematics book often translated as The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art.
- Photons are attractive for quantum computing because they can travel long distances with relatively little heat loss.
US-China Indo-Pacific Rivalry
China and Taiwan coast guard vessels have repeatedly faced off near the Pratas Islands, with the latest standoff showing how small maritime incidents around Taiwan can quickly become confrontations.[1][5] The episode adds to wider U.S.-China military tension across the Indo-Pacific, where Beijing is expanding patrols and Washington is reinforcing regional deterrence.[2][3] The rivalry now centers on preventing miscalculation around Taiwan, the South China Sea, and nearby sea lanes.[1][3][5] It also shapes defense planning by Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States as all sides weigh coercion, sovereignty claims, and the risk of escalation.[2][3]
24 May, 07:39 AM
Taiwan and China coast guards face off near Pratas islands1 January
The United States adopts a sharper great-power competition strategy focused on China
