The first quantum communications satellite developed by China is expected to launch in July of this year. The Beijing–Shanghai quantum private communications line will also be opened in the second half of this year, according to Pan Jianwei, academic at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

According to Pan, this milestone means that a quantum communications network will be formed, and that 30 years of research on quantum information will be finally put to use. Pan said that quantum communication between the satellite and the ground will be achieved for the first time anywhere in the world.

China started developing its quantum satellite in 2011, and launched the quantum optical fiber communication network project, the Beijing–Shanghai line, in 2013. The Beijing–Shanghai quantum private communications line will cover a total length of over 2,000 kilometers, connecting a network of numerous cities including Beijing, Jinan, Hefei and Shanghai. It will be the world's first wide-area optic fiber quantum private network.