The Quantum Eclipse: China's Strategy for Multidomain Supremacy

The Pentagon's latest annual report on military developments in the People's Republic of China marks a point of no return in the Western perception of the Asian technological threat. We are no longer facing a race to catch up, but a deliberate attempt by Beijing to rewrite the rules of war and intelligence through quantum technology, considered one of the "key forces for industrial transformation" and national security. This effort, which sees China pouring significant resources into over-the-horizon technologies, is part of Xi Jinping's broader ambition to deploy a "world-class" military force by 2049, with a focus on cutting-edge innovation.

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The beating heart of this transformation is located in Hefei, where China Telecom Quantum Group (CTQG) and QuantumCTek have created the "Tianyan-287." This superconducting quantum computer, entirely manufactured in China, is not just a laboratory prototype, but an industrial-grade system designed for commercial and dual use. Its ability to solve complex calculations at a speed potentially faster than traditional supercomputers is not only a scientific achievement but also a geopolitical weapon. Beijing is in fact building a complete quantum industrial chain, ranging from basic research to the production of chips and materials, ensuring the technological self-sufficiency necessary to escape Western sanctions.

According to the Pentagon report and CAICT analysis (November 2025), China sees the quantum sector as an essential component in gaining an asymmetric and persistent advantage in intelligence and targeting. The integration of artificial intelligence and quantum computing is cited as a critical accelerator for military and intelligence capabilities. This directly affects operational capabilities, where quantum sensors enable the detection of ultra-weak signals, improving accuracy in operations in areas such as defense, aerospace, and infrastructure monitoring. Chinese companies are already collaborating to provide quantum analyzers capable of detecting magnetic contaminants with dramatically higher speed and efficiency than traditional methods.

A critical element concerns China's strategy of openness toward the international community. The CTQG cloud platform has already recorded tens of millions of visits from over 60 countries. This global availability is not just scientific cooperation, but a strategic maneuver. Under the guise of collaboration, Beijing can implement its "Harvest Now, Decrypt Later" strategy, collecting encrypted data today to decrypt it tomorrow once it has achieved full quantum operational capability. The Pentagon warns that this capability is a direct threat to US national security, capable of exposing secure military communications and degrading mission planning.

On the military front, the integration of quantum technologies into logistics infrastructure and command and control (C2) systems aims to create resilient military networks. In strategic regions such as Heilongjiang or the Hefei area, China is testing space-based and ground-based quantum communications to coordinate multi-domain operations. The ability to use quantum-encrypted links for critical services such as power distribution and patrols is already operational, as demonstrated by the Hefei Houden substation. For the Pentagon, this resilience poses a challenge to allied technological superiority, as quantum communications can neutralize Western historical advantages in C5ISR.

However, Chinese dominance faces limitations. Although numerous domestic manufacturers of critical components such as dilution refrigerators have emerged, stability for continuous service remains a challenge. Furthermore, the Pentagon report notes that the United States, while lagging behind China in quantum communications, maintains a robust innovation ecosystem. The fragmentation of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standards adds uncertainty: while the US, through NIST, has already released the first official standards, China has embarked on its own independent path, fueling global competition to define future security architectures.

In conclusion, 2025 marks the year when quantum technology became central to Chinese military planning, with global investments exceeding $35 billion. Beijing's strength lies in its ability to merge its security system with technological development through its military-civil fusion (MCF) strategy. If China succeeds in fully integrating quantum computing with AI-driven research platforms, it will gain an exponential advantage that could paralyze allied responses during future crises. The challenge for the West in 2026 will therefore be to counter this quantum information hegemony before it becomes irreversible.