HTCZ accelerates building of 'Quantum Valley'

Scientists and experts from across the country gathered at the Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Science Park for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Quantum Science Forum on Monday, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported.

The forum, organized by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Guangdong) Quantum Science Center, was the first event of the High Level Academician Forum of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (HTCZ).

An aerial view of the Hetao area. Xinhua

It was also the cooperation zone’s latest move to build a global smart technology cooperation platform after the State Council released a plan to boost the high-quality development of the zone’s Shenzhen park.

According to the plan issued in August, China will support Shenzhen and Hong Kong to jointly build the “Quantum Valley” with domestic and foreign universities and research institutes.

The Shenzhen authorities will accelerate the development of major new scientific research institutions such as the quantum science center, support enterprises, universities, and research institutions to jointly undertake major scientific and technological projects in the quantum field, accelerate the building of the “Quantum Valley,” and promote the development of quantum technology and industry.

A scene of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Science Park for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Quantum Science Forum on Monday. Live Shenzhen

At the forum, Xue Qikun, president of the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) and director of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Quantum Science Center, introduced the latest developments of the quantum science center.

According to Xue, since its establishment Aug. 18, 2022, the center has rapidly integrated and gathered the scientific and technological forces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao in aspects related to quantum science, targeting the cutting-edge issues of quantum science and major national strategic needs.

The Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone. Xinhua

The center has identified six research directions: quantum states and new quantum effects; key and core equipment; quantum computing; atomic, molecular, and optical quantum properties and technologies; quantum precision measurement and quantum sensing; and functional quantum chips and technologies.

The six research directions are led by SUSTech, Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and City University of Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Sun Yat-sen University, respectively.

The Quantum Science Center will establish sub-centers in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Macao, with Shenzhen’s Hetao area as the center, attracting over 200 scientists to participate in the center’s construction.

The center has set up an academic advisory committee, headed by Wang Enge, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor of Peking University. In addition, an international expert committee has been established to determine the center’s medium to long-term research fields and directions.