Ina SMALL in the eastern Chinese city of Hefei, one of the world’s rarest pieces of technology is on display. The quantum computer on display in the showroom of Origin, a Chinese startup, looks ready to be taken off the shelves and started up. Only 20 devices of this type are produced each year worldwide. It’s unclear exactly what’s for sale in Origin’s showroom, but none of it is supposed to be seen by outsiders. During your correspondent’s pre-arranged visit, the company panicked at the sight of a stranger, abruptly canceled the interviews and notified the police.