China’s first atomic quantum computer, Hanyuan No.1 goes commercial, sells to Pakistan and China Mobile

China’s first atomic quantum computer has officially gone commercial, and its first customers include state-run telecom giant China Mobile and Pakistan. The system, called Hanyuan No. 1, represents a major milestone in Beijing’s race for quantum computing self-reliance and technological independence from Western suppliers.

According to Hubei Daily, which reported the development on Friday, orders for Hanyuan No. 1 have exceeded 40 million yuan (around USD 5.6 million). One unit has already been delivered to a China Mobile subsidiary, while another sale has been made internationally to Pakistan, the first known export of a Chinese quantum computing system.

Built in Wuhan, born from two decades of research

The Hanyuan No. 1 was developed by the Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in Wuhan, the hub of China’s fast-growing Optics Valley technology corridor.

The project took nearly 20 years of research and engineering, backed by the Hubei Provincial Department of Science and Technology through its 'Pioneer' programme. Teams from Wuhan University, Zhongke Kuyuan Technology, the Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, and Huazhong University of Science and Technology were also involved, Hubei Daily said.

This system is described as China’s first complete quantum system using cold, neutral atoms as qubits, the fundamental units of quantum computation. Each atom can simultaneously represent both 0 and 1, enabling the computer to process data at speeds impossible for conventional machines.

100 qubits, no cryogenics: world-class at room temperature

The Hanyuan No. 1 is equipped with 100 qubits and achieves what the newspaper called 'world-class' performance levels. Unlike most superconducting quantum computers, which require ultra-cold environments, Hanyuan No. 1 operates at room temperature and fits into just three standard equipment racks, significantly reducing energy and maintenance costs.

Using lasers to manipulate uncharged, neutral atoms, rather than ions, photons, or artificial atoms, the machine is designed for complex industrial computations like financial modelling, logistics optimisation, and materials design.

The device belongs to a category known as “noisy intermediate-scale quantum” (NISQ) computers, which are not yet fully error-free but can perform advanced calculations faster and more efficiently than classical systems.

India’s quantum ambitions: catching up with a strategic roadmap

While Beijing’s atomic quantum leap has grabbed global attention, India is also building momentum in the quantum race under the government’s Rs 6,000-crore National Quantum Mission (NQM). The mission aims to develop intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50–1,000 qubits across multiple platforms, including superconducting and photonic systems.

Bengaluru-based QpiAI recently unveiled 'Indus,' a 25-qubit superconducting quantum computer, India’s first full-stack quantum system, under the NQM framework. Research institutions such as TIFR, IISc, and DRDO are already working on smaller prototypes. Though India’s systems are at an early stage compared with China’s Hanyuan-1, experts say the country’s focus on indigenous hardware, algorithm development and skill training could enable a leap in commercial quantum computing within the decade.