Key facts
- China's LineShine supercomputer is now the world's fastest, achieving 2.198 exaflops.
- The US supercomputer El Capitan, previously ranked first, is now second.
- LineShine utilizes conventional CPUs, distinguishing it from GPU-reliant systems.
- China's Premier Li Qiang stated that the country's technological advancements present a global opportunity.
China has reclaimed the title of having the world's most powerful supercomputer with the debut of LineShine at the National Supercomputing Center in Shenzhen. This achievement marks the first time since 2017 that a Chinese machine has topped the TOP500 list, a benchmark often seen as an indicator of national technological strength.
LineShine achieved a performance of 2.198 exaflops, surpassing the previous top-ranked US supercomputer, El Capitan, located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Notably, LineShine operates entirely on conventional computer chips (CPUs), a departure from the graphics processing units (GPUs) commonly employed in high-performance computing, particularly for artificial intelligence tasks. The system consumes approximately 42.2 megawatts of electricity.
China's Premier Li Qiang, speaking at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, defended the country's rapid technological progress. He framed these advancements as a "China Opportunity 2.0" for the world, offering broader access to advanced technologies and shared benefits, rather than a threat or an unfair competitive advantage due to state subsidies. This comes amid growing global concerns, sometimes referred to as "China Shock 2.0," about the impact of China's high-tech boom on advanced economies.
Globally, four European supercomputers were among the top 10, with Germany's Jupiter supercomputer dropping to fifth place. The TOP500 list includes five publicly verified exascale computers worldwide. Other nations with machines in the top 10 include Italy, Switzerland, and Japan, with Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom represented in the top 20. The European Union has outlined a €20 billion plan to develop next-generation AI models through AI gigafactories, fostering collaboration across research institutions and businesses.