Scientists from Russia and China completed a full-cycle quantum communication test spanning 3,800 kilometers between ground stations near Moscow and Urumqi in China’s Xinjiang region, using quantum keys distributed by China’s Mozi satellite. Alexey Fedorov, of Russia’s National University of Science and Technology (MISIS) and the Russian Quantum Centre (RQC), announced the successful test on December 14, 2023, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
An earlier experiment in March 2023 had established a secret key between the Zvenigorod ground station near Moscow and the Mozi satellite, enabling the transfer of two coded messages between Russia and China. The December test advanced this work by transmitting quantum key-encoded images between the two stations.
Fedorov stated that extending the quantum communication network to other BRICS nations is “technically absolutely possible,” though member states would first need to align their telecommunications, IT, and data exchange laws. Russia has proposed joint efforts to advance future technologies with fellow BRICS members, and the test was cited as evidence that a BRICS quantum communication network may be technically feasible.