China has established a quantum key distribution link with South Africa, ensuring ultra-secure communication. This marks a step towards intercontinental communication services that are nearly impossible to hack. The announcement was made by Professor Yin Juan during the NPC plenary meeting.
China has successfully established a quantum communication link with South Africa, marking a significant advancement in the realm of ultra-secure communications. Senior scientist Yin Juan reported that this achievement enables secure communication across the southern hemisphere, bringing the world closer to an intercontinental communication service that makes hacking virtually impossible.
The quantum key distribution demonstration spans an impressive 12,800 kilometers (7,954 miles) from Beijing to South Africa, facilitated by China’s quantum communication satellites. Yin Juan, a professor of experimental physics at the University of Science and Technology of China, emphasized the significance of this achievement during the National People’s Congress (NPC) plenary meeting.
This endeavor is the first implementation of secure quantum key distribution in the southern hemisphere, following previous successes such as the quantum communication satellite Mozi (Micius), which launched in 2016. That satellite’s groundbreaking work laid the foundation for long-distance quantum transmissions, including a successful “quantum call” made in 2017 between China and Austria over a distance of 7,600 kilometers.
China’s quantum communication link with South Africa represents a transformative leap in secure communication technology. The successful demonstration of quantum key distribution not only enhances the security of financial and national defense communications but also sets the stage for potential future intercontinental quantum communications that are resistant to eavesdropping. This development underscores the importance of advanced quantum technologies in global security strategies.
Original Source: www.scmp.com
