On March 3, 2025, Chinese scientists announced that they had successfully built the current highest-level superconducting quantum computer – the 105-bit superconducting quantum computing prototype “Zu Chongzhi No. 3”, once again breaking the world record of the superiority of quantum computing in superconducting systems.
Chinese scientists unveiled a superconducting quantum computer prototype named “Zuchongzhi 3.0” with 105 qubits on March 3, 2025 (Beijing Time), marking a breakthrough in China’s quantum computing advancements. The achievement also sets a new record in quantum computing advantage within superconducting systems.
This is a schematic diagram of the chip “Zu Chongzhi No. 3”. Xinhua News Agency (Photo provided by the University of Science and Technology of China)
【Knowledge Points】
Quantum is the discrete basic unit that makes up matter and energy. Quantum computing uses quantum technology to obtain stronger computing power. The development of quantum computing can be traced back to the 1980s. Physicist Richard Feynman first proposed the concept of quantum simulation. Later, scientists demonstrated the feasibility of quantum computing through a series of verification experiments, pointing out that quantum computers can be used to solve problems that are difficult to solve by electronic computers (classical computers). Compared with classical computers, quantum computers have two significant advantages: first, the amount of information storage of quantum computers increases exponentially with the increase of the number of bits. Theoretically, when the number of bits is large enough (for example, the number of bits reaches 250), the amount of data that quantum computers can store is more than the number of all atoms in the universe; second, quantum computers operate on the entire composite system composed of qubits, which can be understood as a principle “parallel computing”, which cannot be achieved by classical computers.
Quantum computing based on superconducting qubits is the earliest proposed and studied quantum computing implementation method. It is based on superconducting properties and uses three methods: charge qubits, magnetic flux qubits and phase qubits to form qubits. The development of quantum computers is a complex task. Taking superconducting quantum computers as an example, quantum computers mainly include quantum chips, quantum computing measurement and control systems, low-temperature refrigeration systems, quantum computer operating systems, application software and other aspects. The mainstream view of the international academic community believes that the development of quantum computing needs to go through “three steps”: the first step is to achieve the superiority of quantum computing; the second step is to develop quantum simulators that can manipulate hundreds of qubits to solve the problems that some supercomputers are incompetent and have great practical value; the third step is to significantly improve the manipulation accuracy, integration quantity and fault tolerance of qubits, and develop programmable general quantum computers.
In 2019 and 2020, the United States and China successively launched quantum computing prototypes “Sycamore” and “Nine Chapters”, achieving “quantum superiority”. Among them, “Nine Chapters” use the optical quantum technology route. In 2021, the 66-bit superconducting quantum computing prototype “Zuchong No. 2” was successfully developed, and China was the first country to achieve “quantum superiority” in both superconducting and optical quantum technology routes. The superiority of quantum computing is like a threshold, verifying the feasibility of quantum computers surpassing traditional computers. It is a prerequisite for quantum computing to have application value and is also a reflection of a country’s quantum computing research strength. After testing, “Zu Chongzhi No. 3” completed random line sampling at 83-bit 32 layers. Based on the current optimal classic algorithm as the comparative standard, the calculation speed is 100 million times faster than the current fastest supercomputer, and one million times faster than the latest results published by Google in October 2024. It is the strongest quantum computing superiority in the current international superconducting system.
【Important Speech】
Basic research and original innovation have been continuously strengthened, some key core technologies have achieved breakthroughs, strategic emerging industries have developed and grown, manned space flight, lunar and fire exploration, deep-sea deep-ground detection, supercomputers, satellite navigation, quantum information, nuclear power technology, new energy technology, large aircraft manufacturing, biomedicine, etc. have achieved major results, and have entered the ranks of innovative countries.
We have grown stronger in basic research and original innovation, made breakthroughs in some core technologies in key fields, and boosted emerging strategic industries. We have witnessed major successes on multiple fronts, including manned spaceflight, lunar and Martian exploration, deep sea and deep earth probes, supervisors, satellite navigation, quantum information, nuclear power technology, new energy technology, airliner manufacturing, and biomedicine. China has joined the ranks of the world’s innovators.
——October 16, 2022, Xi Jinping’s report at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China
【Related Words】
Quantum computing superiority
quantum computing advantage / quantum supremacy
Science and Technology Revolution
sci-tech revolution
Quantum direct communication
quantum direct communication
China Daily Network English Dots and Tianjin Studio (this article was first published on the “Study Strong Country” learning platform)
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[Editor in charge: Chen Danni]
