China’s Jiuzhang 4.0 Quantum Computer Developed, Claims Major Win Over US

China has reportedly achieved a major breakthrough in quantum computing with its latest system, Jiuzhang 4.0, marking a significant development in the global race for advanced technology.

According to reports, the new programmable photonic quantum computer completed an extremely complex calculation in just 25 microseconds. The result has surprised scientists around the world and is being described as a major milestone in quantum research.

The Jiuzhang 4.0 system successfully solved a highly complex mathematical task known as Gaussian boson sampling in a fraction of a second. Experts estimate that the same problem would take one of the world’s most powerful classical supercomputers, such as the US-based El Capitan, an extremely long time to solve—far beyond practical limits.

The system is said to use advanced photonic technology with over 1,000 squeezed-state inputs and more than 8,000 interferometric network modes. It can process around 3,050 photons at the same time, making it far more advanced than previous experiments in this field.

Reports also claim that Jiuzhang 4.0 has achieved around 92% source efficiency and 51% overall system efficiency, helping it overcome one of the biggest challenges in photonic quantum computing—loss of photons during processing.

China previously introduced Jiuzhang 3.0 in 2023, which already demonstrated strong quantum advantage. The new version is said to be significantly more powerful and faster.

While US companies like Google, IBM, and Microsoft are focusing on superconducting quantum computers that require extremely low temperatures, China’s approach uses photonic systems that operate at room temperature using light particles instead of superconducting qubits.

Experts say this rapid progress shows China’s growing strength in quantum computing, intensifying the global competition in advanced technologies, which is increasingly seen as a key strategic frontier for the future.