6 June 2024

The Quest for Qubits: Assessing U.S.-China Competition in Quantum Computing

Sam Howell

Introduction

The United States and the People’s Republic of China are locked in a long-term, strategic contest for geopolitical power. One critical and emerging technology area—quantum information science (QIS)—is set to play an outsized role in determining which country prevails.

China increasingly aims to reshape the long-standing U.S.-led international order in its own image and is developing the economic, diplomatic, and military capabilities to do so. The gap in national strength between the United States and China is narrowing rapidly. For the first time since the Cold War, the United States risks losing its position as the global superpower.

Technology is a key battleground of U.S.-China competition. Critical and emerging technologies—including QIS, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and semiconductors—are tools that help countries promote their interests and maximize their global competitiveness. As National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan acknowledged in a 2022 speech, “Advancements in science and technology are poised to define the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century.”4 The United States cannot prevail in strategic competition without first establishing leadership in emerging technologies.

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