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The year of 2025 has been declared the "International Year of Quantum Science and Technology" by the United Nations. A series of events is expected throughout the year to commemorate and recognize the significant impact of quantum theory on technology and society, while also charting a path for humanity to better benefit from advances in quantum technologies. However, a dark cloud looms over the horizon of scientific progress. On Thursday, a new rule meant to prevent US-based people and companies from investing in the development of a range of advanced technologies in China officially took effect. Concerns over the so-called "tech cold war" have cast a shadow over the optimism inspired by quantum technology.

Quantum science, a "disruptive innovation" likely to change the landscape of global influence, has received considerable attention from the world's leading technological powers, with the achievements of China and the US being particularly prominent. At the end of 2024, Google announced its latest quantum computer, based on a chip called Willow, which performed a mathematical calculation in five minutes that would take one of the world's most powerful supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete. A few days later, Chinese scientists unveiled the Zuchongzhi 3.0 quantum processor, demonstrating "the strongest current advantage in superconducting quantum computing."

It is widely believed that in the three major fields of quantum technology, the US and China each have their advantages and are roughly on par with each other. 

While it is normal for two innovative nations to be compared by the outside world, viewing the technological development of these countries solely through the lens of competition and rivalry is overly narrow. In certain specific areas, while competition exists between China and the US, this healthy rivalry actually drives breakthroughs for humanity as a whole in the field of quantum technology. It also helps foster mutual advancement and collective improvement between the two nations. Instead of competition, China and the US should focus more on cooperation. The world has long anticipated the arrival of the "Fourth Technological Revolution," fueled by disruptive innovations such as quantum technology and artificial intelligence, to propel the global economy into its next phase of prosperity. As two leading technological powers, China and the US bear the responsibility of working together to realize this global vision as soon as possible.

However, some people in the US regard some of the US' advantages in the field of quantum technology as so-called "quantum hegemony" and use the "quantum race" to add a Cold War filter to the interaction between China and the US in this domain. Under this mind-set, rather than pursuing fair, reasonable, healthy, and rules-based competition, Washington engages in so-called "obstruction strategies." Ignoring market economy principles and fundamental norms of international relations, it employs the state apparatus in a full-government, all-dimensional, and across-the-board approach to suppress, encircle, and contain China under the guise of competition.

China and the US are not rivals, let alone enemies. The notion of China as a "rival" is a construct created by certain individuals in the US. This extends to fields such as quantum technology and others. 

To limit China's technological progress, the US has established barriers in the areas of semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, with particularly strict restrictions on quantum computing. However, as in other fields, these efforts to contain China have not successfully hindered the country's advancements in quantum technology. In January 2024, China's third-generation independent superconducting quantum computer "Benyuan Wukong" was put into operation and was temporarily opened for free to global users. In late October, Chinese scientists successfully completed the world's largest-scale quantum computational fluid dynamics simulation on "Benyuan Wukong."

China's progress is not a "threat." It has no intention of engaging in a "tech cold war" with any country, nor does it seek so-called technological hegemony. The purpose of China's pursuit of technological innovation is to benefit its people, allowing technology to change lives and continuously fulfill the people's aspirations for a better life. Currently, the escalating risks of the China-US tech war have raised significant concerns among other countries. Both China and the US have a greater responsibility to take concrete actions to mitigate confrontation risks and stabilize international expectations.

Former US president Jimmy Carter recently passed away at the age of 100. Among his legacies on the US' China policy, the recently renewed US-China Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement stands out. Over the decades since the agreement was signed, scientific cooperation between the two countries has benefited both sides. Statistics show that the number of co-authored papers between American researchers and researchers of any other nationality is not as high as that of Chinese-American collaborations. 

Both the US and China have their own advantages in the field of technology, and if they cooperate, they can leverage the advantage of 1+1>2, accelerating the realization of the new industrial revolution, from which the whole world including the two countries would benefit. However, the current actions of the US have largely hindered this progress, and it is hoped that the US will soon return to the correct path of 1+1>2.