US to stop trading with eight Chinese quantum computing teams

Summary: The U.S. Department of Commerce has banned transactions with 27 foreign companies in China, Japan, Pakistan and Singapore. Eight of them are developing quantum computing technologies, which the United States now recognizes as a national security concern.

Eight companies developing quantum computing technologies have been identified to pursue potential military applications on behalf of the Chinese government. Three of them were on a mission to acquire American technologies or try to help them.

The Ministry of Commerce believes that quantum computing can support a number of military applications of interest to China, including “anti-piracy and submarine applications and the ability to decrypt or develop cryptographic encryption.”

One of the eight companies is the Quantum Computing Branch of the University of Science and Technology of China, which said earlier this year that it had developed the world’s fastest quantum computer. He considered the computer to be two to three times faster than the best in America.

Many companies have underestimated the barriers. QuantumCTek describes the situation as “manageable” according to Nikkei Asia. He said he had never relied on the United States because he owned essential technologies and relied mainly on Chinese resources.

Of the 19 banned non-quantum computing companies, three are Chinese companies based in China, Japan and Singapore that sell US technology to Iranian military and space programs and North Korean shell companies.

The remaining 16 were blacklisted for their involvement in “Pakistan’s unsafe nuclear operations or ballistic missile program.” Some are in Pakistan, others are Chinese. Oddly enough, one is the refrigeration and air conditioning company.

In addition to the list of banned companies, the Department of Commerce maintains a list of companies that have Military End User (MEU) for their products. The Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology is included in this list.