Quantum Leap: China's 504-Qubit Chip Narrows the US Gap

China’s Quantum Innovation Institute, a research institution under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has achieved a significant milestone by delivering a revolutionary 504-qubit superconducting quantum computing chip named “Xiaohong” to QuantumCTek, a spinoff company from the University of Science & Technology of China. This chip, designed to validate QuantumCTek’s domestically developed thousand-qubit measurement and control system, has not only set a new record for the number of superconducting quantum bits in China but also holds immense potential for advancing the field of quantum computing. The Quantum Innovation Institute plans to make this chip and other quantum computing advancements accessible to global users through the “Tianyan” quantum computing cloud platform, which is operated by China Telecom Quantum Group.
The significance of this achievement lies in the fundamental building blocks of quantum computing: qubits. Qubits are the basic units of quantum information, capable of representing both 0 and 1 simultaneously due to quantum superposition and entanglement. The measurement and control system, responsible for generating, transmitting, and processing signals to manipulate and measure qubits accurately, is crucial for the functioning of a quantum computer. Performance metrics such as gate fidelity, gate depth, and readout fidelity are used to assess the system’s capabilities.
The “Xiaohong” chip developed by the Quantum Innovation Institute surpasses 500 qubits and exhibits exceptional performance in these key indicators, rivaling internationally recognized quantum computing platforms. This chip is designed to validate QuantumCTek’s thousand-qubit measurement and control system, a crucial step in advancing large-scale quantum computing.
Gong Ming, a researcher at the Quantum Innovation Institute, explains that the primary goal behind the “Xiaohong” chip is to drive progress in large-scale quantum computing measurement and control systems. By integrating a higher number of qubits and achieving exceptional performance, the chip aims to fulfill the requirements for verifying the capabilities of these control systems.
QuantumCTek plans to conduct extensive testing on its thousand-qubit measurement and control system using the “Xiaohong” chip. This testing phase is expected to conclude by August this year. The new system incorporates domestically designed core components, enhancing operational accuracy while significantly reducing costs. QuantumCTek also aims to develop measurement and control systems suitable for error-corrected quantum computers with capacities of tens of thousands of qubits.
China Telecom Quantum Group’s “Tianyan” quantum computing cloud platform combines the strengths of Telecom Tianyi Cloud’s supercomputing capabilities and a 176-qubit superconducting quantum computing system. The collaboration between China Telecom Quantum Group and QuantumCTek will involve developing comprehensive quantum computing systems based on the “Xiaohong” chip, which will be connected to the “Tianyan” platform, enabling global access to these cutting-edge technologies.
The cloud access provided by the “Tianyan” platform for 500+ qubit quantum computers will facilitate research across various fields, accelerating the study of practical problems and algorithms, and driving the widespread application of quantum computing.

Professor Peng Chengzhi, a leading quantum computing expert, highlights a significant challenge faced by the field: the need to synchronously improve the quality and quantity of quantum bits to enhance chip performance and control large-scale quantum systems. This challenge is a focal point for leading international research teams as well.
The development of the “Xiaohong” chip marks a significant step forward in China’s quantum technology landscape, with the collaborative efforts of the Quantum Innovation Institute, QuantumCTek, and China Telecom Quantum Group poised to shape the future of quantum computing and enable practical applications in various domains.
In the global quantum computing arena, California-based start-up Atom Computing has achieved a remarkable feat with their quantum computer boasting a record-breaking 1180 qubits in 2023. This development highlights the intense competition and rapid advancements in the field of quantum computing. As the Sino-US tech race intensifies, the breakthroughs in quantum computing demonstrated by both Chinese and American institutions underscore the strategic importance of this emerging field.