China has for the first time extended ultra-secure communication into the southern hemisphere using a quantum key distribution link with South Africa, according to a senior scientist involved in the project.
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The achievement brings the world a step closer to an intercontinental communication service that would render hacking of financial, national defence or other communications nearly impossible.
Yin Juan, a deputy from the National People’s Congress (NPC), and a professor of experimental physics at the University of Science and Technology of China, made the announcement during the NPC’s annual plenary meeting this week in Beijing.
The first quantum demonstration spanning 12,800km (7,954 miles) between Beijing and South Africa was made possible with the help of China’s quantum communication satellites, Yin said.
“It is also the first time this kind of secure quantum key distribution experiment has been implemented in the southern hemisphere,” added Yin, who was a chief payload designer for the world’s first quantum communication satellite, Mozi – also known as Micius – which launched in 2016 to begin long-distance quantum transmissions.
In 2017, scientists used the satellite to make a secure “quantum call” and send images between China and Austria over a distance of 7,600km.