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, during an interview with China Youth Daily.
由中国研发的全球第一颗量子通讯卫星将于今年七月发射。据中科院院士潘建伟在接受《中国青年报》的一次采访中透露，从北京到上海的量子保密通讯线路也将于今年下半年开通。
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.
据潘建伟院士透露，这一里程碑式的成功意味着中国将建立一个量子通讯网络，对于量子信息长达三十年的研究终将投入使用。潘院士表示，中国将在全球首次实现卫星和地面基站的量子通讯。

In recent years, quantum communications is considered to be supportive research for next-generation communication technology because of its transmission efficiency and absolute security. Pan said that, as quantum technology is indivisible and cannot be cloned, it may be implemented as an information carrier for the distribution of sensitive information, thereby guaranteeing the secure transmission of important content. Quantum communications research has become a focus and frontier of global research in physics.
近年来，由于在传输效率和信息安全上具有显著的优势，量子通讯手段被认为是次世代通讯技术的基础。据潘院士透露，由于量子既不能被分割，也不能被复制，因此可以用来作为敏感信息的传播载体，从而保障从要信息的传输安全。量子通讯研究已经成为物理学界一个关注焦点和前沿性课题。
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.
中国在2011年开始研发量子卫星，并于2013年开始了量子光纤通讯网络（北京-上海段）项目。从北京到上海的这条量子保密通讯线路总长达到了2000公里，连接了包括北京、济南、合肥和上海在内的许多城市的网络。这将是全球第一个广域光纤量子保密网络。
According to Pan, the assembly of the quantum satellite has already been completed. The satellite has passed electrical measurement and thermal balance testing, and is currently undergoing mechanical and magnetic testing in Shanghai's Small Satellite Engineering Center.
据潘院士透露，量子通讯卫星的装配工作已经完成了。这颗卫星已经通过了电测试和热平衡测试，目前正在上海的小卫星工程中心进行机械和磁力检测。
"With further development, quantum communications should benefit millions of households in the near future," Pan said, adding: "I hope that within another 10 years of hard work, online transfers and payments can be guaranteed through quantum communication for every consumer."
潘院士表示：“随着进一步的发展，量子通讯将在不远的将来使数以百万计的家庭受益。我希望在十年之内，通过我们的艰苦奋斗，量子通讯可以保障每一个消费者的在线信息传输和在线支付的安全。”