Back Society » Tech » China Now Home to World's Most Powerful Homemade Supercomputer

China Now Home to World's Most Powerful Homemade Supercomputer

Recent supercomputer rankings have revealed that China not only continues to top this list but is now doing so with 100% domestic technology.

Over the past 15 years, China has made significant strides in everything from military technology to building techniques. But while these advances are at the forefront of public consciousness, there are some which are hidden behind the scenes. One such development is that of the world’s fastest supercomputer located in the city of Wuxi, two hours from Shanghai.

According to the International Business Times, Wuxi is home to the Chinese Supercomputing Center where the country’s most powerful computers are housed. Here, China’s Tianhe-2 supercomputer previously broke international records en route to becoming the world’s most powerful, achieving speeds of 33.86 petaflops. The new SW26010 chip blows its predecessor out of the water with speeds reaching 125.4 petaflops.

What makes things different this time beyond pure speed is that the computer was made entirely from domestically produced chipsets.

However the drive for locally sourced components comes out of necessity as much as desire. In addition to US$152 billion in government funding for the domestic chip industry between now and 2025, last year the US blocked the sale of high-end American processors to the world’s most populous country. When the embargo began in April 2015, the US Department of Commerce cited "a significant risk of being or becoming involved in activities that are contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States" as its rationale.

According to the rankings compiled by Top500, China (167) beat out the US (165) for the first time based on total number of supercomputers. Third-place Japan lagged far behind with just 29. 

[Photo via South China Morning Post]


Related Articles:

China Just 3D-Printed an Entire Mansion

[Photos] China Has Its Own Jurassic Park

China Slides 100-Year-Old Building to New Home


Related Articles

in Tech

‘Flappy Bird’ Maker Ranked One of the World’s Most Influential App Developers

He’s probably sitting in his room, cursing them for it, but Dong Nguyen of ‘Flappy Bird’ fame has made Business Insider’s list of “the world’s 11 most influential people working in apps.”

in Tech

"Fucking Ugly" Websites Plague Vietnam

Design is subjective; ‘good’ design changes by region, city and individual. Design elements that may seem antiquated to one, may be fresh or reinvented by another so we try not to judge - except when ...

in Tech

$1 Billion High-Tech Park Proposed for HCMC

As part of the continuing effort to modernize Vietnam’s workforce, authorities are reviewing a proposal for a massive science and technology park in HCMC.

in Tech

$110m Pledged for Vietnamese Startups

It looks like Vietnamese startups are about to get a boost in funding. The Ministry of Science and Technology has announced a $110 million program called FIRST, designed to breathe financial life into...

in Tech

$189m Plan to Give 300,000 HCMC Students Tablets Draws Criticism

Last week the HCMC Department of Education proposed a plan to equip 300,000 primary students with tablets for the coming school year, reports Thanh Nien. With a pricetag of VND3 million – VND 5 m...

in Tech

'Flappy Bird' Creator To Release New Game Tomorrow

Well, Nguyen Ha Dong, the Vietnamese app developer who at one point was pulling in $55,000 per day, is officially back in the spotlight. After releasing a new version of ‘Flappy Bird’ earlier this mon...

Partner Content