Again! US Blacklist Eight Chinese Technology Companies Export Quantum Computer

The United States (US) has again imposed a ban on selling equipment to China. (photo: doc: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The United States (US) has again imposed a ban on selling equipment to China. This time the country prevented anyone from exporting quantum computing technology.

Through the US Department of Commerce, they have blacklisted eight Chinese companies and laboratories. The US government was concerned and prevented the Bamboo Curtain Country from decrypting sensitive US communications and developing new military technologies.

"Trade and global trade must promote peace, prosperity and high-paying jobs, not national security risks", said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

The eight companies include Hangzhou Zhongke Microelectronics Co Ltd, Hunan Goke Microelectronics, New H3C Semiconductor Technologies Co Ltd, Xi'an Aerospace Huaxun Technology, and Yunchip Microelectronics. Then, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, QuantumCTek, and Shanghai QuantumCTeck Co Ltd.

Launching CNET, Thursday, November 25, although the technology is still immature, quantum computers if developed can break conventional encryption. The US government is also leading an active program to develop post-quantum cryptography.

However, communications intercepted today could be uncovered if quantum computers become powerful enough. Quantum computers themselves utilize ultrasmall physics to perform a type of computation that is very different from the conventional computer chips in today's cell phones, laptops, and supercomputers.

But now they only work on a small scale, can be prone to miscalculations, and are finicky enough to require very cold conditions.

In addition, the US government also pointed to the military risks of quantum computing involving malicious applications. It detailed the Federal Register that the Chinese organization added to its entity list, involving export controls.

Quoted from Reuters, in response to this, the spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Shu Jueting, strongly opposes sanctions against Chinese companies and will seek serious representation with the US.

"China is very much against that", Shu Jueting said.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Washington accused the US of using the overarching concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress and restrict Chinese companies in every possible way.

Not only in the US but quantum computers also have the potential to simulate molecular structures that can produce new materials. Military technology has greatly benefited from materials science in the past, so quantum computing can lead to breakthroughs.

To take advantage of this breakthrough, many US companies are investing billions of dollars in developing quantum computers. That includes Google, IBM, Microsoft, Honeywell, IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave, and Intel.