(Yicai) Sept. 23 -- As quantum technology continues to evolve, many new industrial applications will emerge in five to 10 years, as it will not be necessary to wait for the birth of universal quantum computers, according to China's only Turing Award winner.

China's quantum industry is still in its infancy, mainly focusing on scientific research instruments and basic experiments, Andrew Yao said at the Pujiang Innovation Forum. Quantum technology is not limited to quantum computers, as other applications, including quantum navigation and quantum radar, are gradually showing potential, he added.

Yao, 78, was born in Shanghai and moved to the United States at 21. He won the Turing Award in 2000 for his contributions to the theory of computation. He returned to China in 2004 to join Tsinghua University. He is a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

At Tsinghua University, Yao led the establishment of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences, which has a quantum laboratory dedicated to designing and constructing quantum computers.

Scientific exploration should not be solely oriented by industrial purposes, Yao noted.

"Original innovation stems from the curiosity and insight of scientists, and this spirit of exploration cannot be replaced by market demand," he explained. "Nobel Prize-winning research is often driven by a dedication to unknown areas rather than a commercialization goal."

In the past 15 years, the IIIS has focused on quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and cryptography, striving to achieve breakthroughs that keep pace with the world, Yao said. "Now it seems that this goal has been mostly achieved."

Even though China's AI applications are already in the world's top tier, its talent pool in the field of basic research is insufficient, Yao noted. "Cutting-edge scientific research and breakthroughs in basic theory require gathering top scientists for long-term research, a shortcoming we urgently need to address."

To keep up with the world-leading original innovation level, China needs to create a cultural environment that supports curiosity and exploration, which should not only be guaranteed in terms of funds and platforms, but it should also give researchers more freedom to explore, not blindly pursue short-term results, Yao pointed out.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Futura Costaglione