China’s first atomic quantum computer, Hanyuan No. 1, has achieved commercial viability after securing more than 40 million yuan ($5.6 million) in orders from both domestic and international clients. Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, the system has already been delivered to customers including a China Mobile subsidiary and clients in Pakistan.
This milestone marks a significant step in China’s push for technological self-reliance in advanced computing. The Hanyuan No. 1 is a 100-qubit system that utilizes neutral-atom quantum computing, a technology that manipulates individual “cold” atoms with lasers. This approach allows the computer to operate at room temperature and fit within three standard equipment racks, dramatically reducing the energy and maintenance costs required by superconducting quantum computers.
The project leveraged the Hubei province’s “Optics Valley” manufacturing cluster to establish a complete domestic supply chain. This includes the development of high-performance lasers that consume only one-tenth the energy of comparable foreign systems.
This commercial debut comes amid other advances in China’s quantum landscape. In October, a 105-readable-qubit superconducting quantum computer, “Zuchongzhi 3.0,” was also deployed for commercial use by China Telecom Quantum Group and QuantumCTek.
The Hanyuan initiative involves collaboration between multiple Chinese universities and technology centers, with plans to build the country’s first neutral-atom quantum computing power center capable of serving over 1,000 enterprise clients annually. The delivery to Pakistan follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed in October for China to help establish Pakistan’s first National Center for Quantum Computing.
