An international breakthrough in quantum technology has been achieved by a Chinese-led team that successfully demonstrated secure quantum communication over more than 12,900 kilometers between the Chinese mainland and South Africa. Using the Jinan-1 micro-nano satellite alongside compact ground stations—including one in Stellenbosch—this pioneering effort enabled real-time quantum key distribution, a method that offers hacker-proof data exchange.
The team, headed by scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China in collaboration with experts from Stellenbosch University, set a new milestone by achieving the longest-distance secure quantum link to date. This unprecedented demonstration paves the way for trusted-node constellations and marks a significant step toward widespread satellite-based quantum communication services.
Published in the prestigious journal Nature, the breakthrough was praised by peer reviewers as "a technically impressive achievement" that underscores the maturity of satellite quantum key distribution technology. The achievement holds promising implications for enhancing global security, inspiring further innovation in secure communications, and strengthening international collaboration.
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Chinese-led team achieves 10,000-km quantum-secured communication
cgtn.com
