In a quiet lab in Hefei, a computer that operates at temperatures near absolute zero is solving problems in seconds that would take conventional supercomputers millions of years. This isn't science fiction—it's just one example of how China is redefining the boundaries of scientific possibility.
The Shenzhou-20 crew has now lived aboard China's space station for over five months, conducting experiments that were unimaginable just a decade ago1 . Meanwhile, Chinese scientists are examining 1,935.3 grams of lunar soil from the far side of the Moon, running simulations on 37 million processor cores to model quantum chemistry, and making superconducting quantum computers available for commercial use1 2 5 . This whirlwind of activity represents more than isolated achievements—it showcases China's systematic approach to becoming a global scientific powerhouse.
China's space program has evolved from replicating existing capabilities to pioneering unprecedented achievements.
Launch
Lunar Landing
Earth Return
This engineering marvel required solving one of space exploration's most persistent challenges: communicating with a spacecraft that's on the far side of the Moon, where Earth is never visible. The solution came in the form of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, launched in March 2024 to provide a crucial communication link1 .
The scientific payoff has been immediate and profound. Chinese researchers have used these precious samples to make discoveries about magmatic activity, the ancient lunar magnetic field, and even water content in the lunar mantle1 . These findings don't just rewrite lunar history—they provide crucial insights into the formation of our entire solar system.
| Payload | Origin | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Radon Isotopes Detector | France | Detection and analysis of radon isotopes |
| Lunar Surface Negative Ion Analyzer | European Space Agency | Analysis of negative ions on lunar surface |
| Laser Retro-Reflector | Italy | Precision distance measurements |
| Small Satellite | Pakistan | Secondary orbital operations |
China's space ambitions extend far beyond lunar exploration. The Tiangong space station now serves as a national-level space laboratory where astronauts have conducted approximately 20 extravehicular activities and implemented 181 science and application projects1 . Research aboard the station has already yielded breakthroughs including new germplasm resources for rice and rafter rice developed in space, and the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in microgravity1 . These experiments are significantly advancing global research in space life sciences, microgravity physical science, and space astronomy.
Looking forward, China's space roadmap includes the Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 missions scheduled for 2026 and 2028 respectively, focused on investigating the Moon's water ice and surface resources1 4 . Even more ambitious, the Tianwen-3 mission, planned for launch around 2028, aims to accomplish a Mars sample return—a feat that would further cement China's status as a leading space power1 .
While China's space achievements capture headlines, equally groundbreaking work is happening in the realm of quantum computing.
In March 2025, Chinese scientists unveiled "Zuchongzhi 3.0"—a superconducting quantum computer prototype with 105 qubits that processes specific tasks at speeds a quadrillion times faster than the world's most powerful supercomputer9 .
What makes this achievement remarkable isn't just the raw speed, but the fact that it represents a new record in "quantum computational advantage" within superconducting systems.
The "Zuchongzhi 3.0" isn't merely a laboratory curiosity—it has been made available for commercial use through the "Tianyan" quantum cloud platform, which has attracted over 37 million visits from users in more than 60 countries since its 2023 launch5 .
| System | Qubits | Achievement | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jiuzhang | Photonic | Achieved quantum supremacy | 2020 |
| Zuchongzhi 2.1 | 66 | Quantum advantage in two technical routes | 2021 |
| Zuchongzhi 3.0 | 105 | Quadrillion times faster than top supercomputer | 2025 |
| Tianyan Platform | 880 (cluster) | Commercial quantum cloud service | 2025 |
Step 1: Quantum supremacy - Completed
Step 2: Quantum simulators with hundreds of qubits - In Progress
Step 3: Programmable, general-purpose quantum computers - Future
The "Zuchongzhi 3.0" team is already actively exploring various directions including quantum error correction, quantum entanglement, quantum simulation, and quantum chemistry9 . According to researcher Zhu Xiaobo, the team is currently conducting surface code error correction research that paves the way for large-scale qubit integration and control—essential steps toward practical, general-purpose quantum computing9 .
China's scientific toolkit includes another powerful combination: artificial intelligence married to world-class supercomputing capabilities.
In a stunning demonstration of this synergy, Chinese scientists from Sunway successfully used an AI model and the Oceanlite supercomputer to model complex quantum chemistry at the scale of real molecules2 .
The challenge they tackled was monumental: simulating the quantum behavior of molecules with exponentially more interacting states. Traditional methods require simplifications that limit accuracy, but the Chinese team developed a proprietary neural-network quantum states (NNQS) framework tailored specifically for China's Oceanlite supercomputer2 .
The system trained a neural network to approximate a molecule's wavefunction, determining where electrons are most likely to be located2
The network adjusted until its predictions matched the molecule's true quantum energy pattern2
The simulation utilized 37 million processor cores to model a system with 120 spin orbitals—the largest AI-driven quantum chemistry calculation ever performed on a classical supercomputer2
What made this achievement particularly notable was the extraordinary efficiency attained—the researchers achieved 92% strong scaling and 98% weak scaling, a remarkable level of performance for such a massive computational effort2 . This demonstrates that China has found a near-perfect synchronization between software and hardware, a major accomplishment for its supercomputing community.
This breakthrough matters far beyond theoretical chemistry. Understanding molecular behavior at this fundamental level could accelerate the development of new pharmaceuticals, create novel materials with tailored properties, and push the boundaries of quantum computing itself.
China's scientific achievements don't emerge from a vacuum—they're supported by a growing collection of sophisticated research tools and platforms.
Based on 384-core Sunway SW26010-Pro CPUs, this system supports FP16, FP32, and FP64 data formats and features a unique architecture tailored for high-performance computing rather than AI2
A crucial communications link that enables missions to the far side of the Moon by maintaining constant contact between Earth and spacecraft that would otherwise be out of direct view1
Provides remote access to quantum computing resources, allowing researchers and companies worldwide to run experiments on state-of-the-art quantum processors without needing specialized hardware5
Serves as a national-level space laboratory with facilities for experiments in microgravity, space life sciences, and material science that would be impossible to conduct on Earth1
This infrastructure supports what the AI Index Report from Stanford HAI identifies as China's growing strength in artificial intelligence. While the U.S. still leads in producing top AI models (40 notable models versus China's 15 in 2024), Chinese models have rapidly closed the quality gap—with performance differences on major benchmarks shrinking from double digits in 2023 to near parity in 20248 .
China's scientific ambitions show no signs of slowing.
The country has launched a comprehensive space science plan for 2024-2050 that includes future missions to explore the Jupiter system and deployment of a solar polar-orbit observatory4 . A planned asteroid defense mission will attempt to alter an asteroid's orbit by kinetic impact, representing the first such effort to study planetary defense strategies in depth4 .
In quantum computing, the focus is shifting toward practical applications and error correction—the essential steps needed to transition from laboratory demonstrations to reliable computational tools. The researchers behind "Zuchongzhi 3.0" are already working on surface code error correction research with increasing code distances, paving the way for large-scale qubit integration and control9 .
| Mission | Field | Timeline | Objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chang'e-7 | Lunar Exploration | 2026 | Investigate moon's water ice |
| Chang'e-8 | Lunar Exploration | 2028 | Surface resource assessment |
| Tianwen-3 | Mars Sample Return | ~2028 | Return first Mars samples to Earth |
| Tianwen-4 | Jupiter System | To be determined | Explore Jupiter and its moons |
| Solar Polar-Observatory | Solar Physics | To be determined | Study solar phenomena |
What makes China's scientific rise particularly striking is its commitment to international collaboration—even as it competes technologically. The Chinese space station is now open to foreign astronauts, with China and Pakistan signing an agreement to cooperate on the selection and training of Pakistani astronauts for participation in China's space station mission1 . Similarly, China is advancing the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) with agreements signed with 17 countries and organizations, opening collaborative opportunities across exploration and resource development4 .
As one report on China's space program starkly warned, China is "poised to overtake us in the next five to 10 years if we don't do something". This sentiment captures the remarkable pace of China's scientific advancement—from a country that once struggled with basic manufacturing to one that now competes at the cutting edge of quantum computing, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.
The samples returned by Chang'e-6, the calculations performed by Zuchongzhi 3.0, and the simulations run on Oceanlite's 37 million processor cores represent more than technical achievements—they're manifestations of a fundamental shift in global scientific leadership. As these tools become more sophisticated and accessible, they promise to accelerate the pace of discovery across virtually every field of science and technology, potentially reshaping our understanding of the universe and our place within it.