U.S. Establishes Special Commission on U.S.-China Strategic Competition, Quantum to be Focused

On Jan. 10, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to create a special commission dedicated to U.S. competition with China, fulfilling campaign promises made by Republicans in advance of the 2022 midterm elections.

The resolution passed by a vote of 365 to 65, with 146 Democrats and all Republicans supporting the resolution. All of the no votes came from Democrats, of course, simply because the resolution was sponsored by Republicans. The committee, called the U.S.-China Special Committee on Strategic Competition, hopes to counter China's growing international influence.

In response, Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), issued a statement on the Special Committee on U.S.-China Strategic Competition [1], the central point of which is that the outbreak of Asianophobia in the United States since the epidemic will shift from a focus on Asian Americans to a focus on specific issues related to the government of the People's Republic of China with the establishment of the committee.

The special commission, chaired by Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher, will focus on China's economic, technological and security advances and the strategic competition between the United States and China. The resolution charges a panel of experts with investigating these matters and making policy recommendations. The group will consist of seven Republicans and five Democrats and will have the authority to hold public hearings.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the committee will address issues such as bringing jobs back to the United States from China, protecting intellectual property, and bringing supply chains back to the United States [2].

The greatest competition between the United States and China is currently in the area of science and technology, and while the U.S.-China Special Commission on Strategic Competition did not mention any specific technology areas, the 2021 report "Challenges and Threats to Strategic Competitors," released by the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), explicitly mentions "five key areas including artificial intelligence, quantum information technology, biotechnology, semiconductors, and 5 key areas, including artificial intelligence, quantum information technology, biotechnology, semiconductors, and autonomous systems, will determine whether China overtakes the United States as a superpower."

In the report, NCSC says China aims to achieve leadership in various emerging technologies by 2030. China has emerged as a major strategic competitor to the United States because it has sufficient resources and a comprehensive strategy to drive technological progress.

The following is taken from the report.

Quantum Information Technology (QIST), which includes quantum computing, networking, sensing and metrology, uses the fundamental properties of matter to generate new information technologies. For example, quantum computers can theoretically exploit the unique properties of atoms and photons to provide exponential acceleration in solving certain types of problems compared to traditional computers. For decades, key technologies have been generated using the natural properties of quanta.

Benefits

Quantum information, science and technology will bring new capabilities to the civilian and military sectors. Through developments in this area, the United States can improve its industrial base, create jobs, and provide economic benefits and national security benefits. Early quantum-related technologies include semiconductor microelectronics, photonics, global positioning systems, and magnetic resonance imaging, which support important components of the national economy and defense infrastructure. Future scientific and technological discoveries in the quantum field are likely to be even more impactful. According to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, U.S. government investment in quantum and recent industry involvement has transformed the scientific field into an emerging pillar of the U.S. R&D enterprise.

Threats

In addition to the potential benefits, quantum technology may also present national security challenges. With further development in the coming years, large-scale quantum computers could decrypt the most commonly used network security protocols, putting at risk the communications infrastructure that protects today's economic security and national security. Simply put, whoever wins the race for quantum computing hegemony has the potential to compromise the communications of other nations. Without effective mitigation measures to counter the effects of using quantum computers, it could be devastating to national security systems and the nation as a whole, especially if that information needs to be protected for decades. Other quantum technologies may have implications for future national security. Meanwhile, strategic competitors of the United States are recruiting American talent to advance their quantum programs. Some countries are spending far more on quantum programs than the United States to be able to better recruit talent.

Reference：

[1]https://capac-chu.house.gov/press-release/capac-chair-statement-select-committee-strategic-competition-between-united-states-and

[2]https://www.reuters.com/world/us/new-us-house-creates-committee-focused-competing-with-china-2023-01-10/