Recently, according to the South China Morning Post, a well-known international media in Hong Kong, Professor Pan Jianwei, a famous Chinese quantum physicist, was elected a member of the Royal Society, which came at the right time, because just a few days ago, the United States just included China's "core" enterprises and research institutions in the field of quantum technology on the latest sanctions list.
Observers believe that as China's "father of quantum", Pan Jianwei's election is not only an affirmation of his personal achievements, but also a manifestation of China's global leadership in the field of quantum technology.
Pan Jianwei: Quantum pioneer from Europe to China
Professor Jianwei Pan, currently Professor of Modern Physics and Vice President of the University of Science and Technology of China, has led his team to achieve many breakthroughs in the field of quantum communication and quantum computing since returning to China full-time in 2008.
In 2016, under his leadership, China launched the world's first quantum science experiment satellite, Micius, enabling secure communications between China and Europe. This feat not only impressed the world with China's quantum technology, but also won China more voice in the international science and technology arena.
In 2017, Pan Jianwei was named one of the top 10 scientific figures of the year by Nature magazine, saying he "ignited the flame of quantum technology in China." His team has filled a number of technical gaps in the field of quantum communication through groundbreaking research such as "multi-particle interferometer" and "space quantum experiment", making quantum communication possible under real-world conditions.
In addition to their achievements in quantum communications, Pan and his team have also made significant progress in quantum computing.
In October last year, they launched the prototype quantum computer "Jiuzhan No. 3", which realized the manipulation of 255 photons for the first time. This quantum computer is billions of times faster than the world's fastest supercomputer on specific computing tasks. This result was not only published in Physical Review Letters, but also attracted wide attention from the global academic community.
Just this month, there was another piece of good news from Pan's team, announcing the development of a groundbreaking artificial quantum system that promises to enable fault-tolerant quantum computing. This progress, published in the journal Science, heralds another important step towards the practical application of quantum computing technology.
Pan Jianwei is not only an outstanding scientist, but also an important promoter of the quantum communication industry.
He and his team founded Guodun Quantum Technology Co., Ltd., which has participated in the construction of quantum communication networks connecting many cities in China, such as the Beijing-Shanghai quantum link. With strong government support, these networks not only enhance China's technological strength in the field of quantum communication, but also promote the rapid development of related industries.
Pan Jianwei's election as a Fellow of the Royal Society marks a high recognition of his achievements by the international scientific community.
In announcing the news, the Royal Society praised his pioneering work on "multi-particle interferometers" and "space quantum experiments", saying that his team had solved key technical challenges for quantum communication security, making it a viable technology under real-world conditions.
However, the award comes at a time of intensifying technology competition between China and the United States.
The U.S. Department of Commerce added 22 of China's leading quantum research institutions and companies to its May 9 updated export control list, which aims to restrict further Chinese development in this area. The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), as the core force of China's quantum information research, is naturally also among the sanctions.
Despite external pressures, Pan Jianwei and his team continue to push the boundaries of quantum technology in China. As an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of the Institute of Quantum Information and Quantum Technology Innovation, Pan Jianwei said that he will continue to devote himself to the research and application of quantum technology and contribute to China's scientific and technological cause.
The deep meaning behind Pan Jianwei's award to the Royal Society of Great Britain
Pan Jianwei's election as a Fellow of the Royal Society is not only a reflection of his personal achievements, but also a symbol of China's independent innovation in the field of quantum technology.
Quantum communication and quantum computing, as the core areas of the next-generation scientific and technological revolution, will determine the victory or defeat of the future scientific and technological competition between countries. In this context, Pan Jianwei and his team have broken through the technological blockade of Western countries through independent research and development, and walked out of China's own quantum technology path.
The inclusion of China's core institutions in the field of quantum technology in the latest U.S. export control list is an apparent attempt to curb China's rapid development in this high-tech field. However, the achievements of Pan's team show that China already has a strong ability to innovate independently in the field of quantum technology, and is able to respond to external pressures and continue to promote technological progress.
In fact, U.S. sanctions have not only failed to stop China's quantum technology development, but have instead prompted China to accelerate the pace of independent innovation. By vigorously supporting domestic scientific research institutions and enterprises to promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, China has made a series of remarkable achievements in the field of quantum communication and quantum computing.
Pan Jianwei's election as a Fellow of the Royal Society also reflects the recognition and respect of the international scientific and technological community for Chinese scientists.
This recognition not only helps to enhance the international status of Chinese scientists, but also opens up a new model for international scientific and technological cooperation. Despite the increasingly fierce competition in science and technology between China and the United States, science and technology know no borders, and scientific research is essentially a global cooperative enterprise.
In the field of quantum technology, Chinese scientists have carried out extensive cooperation with many European countries to jointly promote the development of quantum communication and quantum computing technology. The Chinese team led by Pan Jianwei has not only improved its own scientific research level through cooperation with top international scientific research institutions, but also contributed to global scientific and technological progress.
Pan Jianwei's success story is an important inspiration for China's younger generation of tech workers. Under his leadership, the Institute of Quantum Information and Quantum Technology Innovation at the University of Science and Technology of China has become an important base for cultivating top scientific and technological talents.
Pan Jianwei's experience tells us that as long as we are interested in scientific research, have the courage to explore, and continue to innovate, we can occupy a place in the international scientific and technological arena.
A little summary
Pan Jianwei's election as a Fellow of the Royal Society is one of the symbols of China's move to the forefront of the world in the field of quantum science and technology.
This event not only demonstrated the innovation ability and scientific research level of Chinese scientists, but also strengthened the confidence of Chinese people in independent innovation in science and technology.
In the face of international competition and challenges, China's scientific and technological workers will continue to make unremitting efforts to achieve the goal of becoming a strong country in science and technology.
Under the leadership of Pan Jianwei, the development path of China's quantum technology has become broader and broader.
In the future, we have reason to believe that China will continue to lead the world in the field of quantum communication and quantum computing, and make greater contributions to global scientific and technological progress.