Five Chinese government agencies have recently issued opinions on deepening the implementation of the "East Data, West Computing" project and accelerating the construction of a national integrated computing power network, according to the official WeChat account of the National Data Bureau on Tuesday.
By the end of 2025, the comprehensive computing power infrastructure system will have taken shape. Various types of newly added computing power in national hub nodes will account for over 60 percent of the country's total and the proportion of green electricity in newly built data centers will exceed 80 percent.
The usability of various types of computing power for users will significantly improve, and the cost will noticeably decrease. The computing power network will be safe and trustworthy, allowing for a seamless and inclusive experience for users while also being mindful of the environment, according to the opinions.
The issuance of these opinions is in line with China's efforts to promote high-quality economic development focusing on the development of computing power, which is considered to be a fundamental resource for the advancement of the digital economy. Computing power is also a new area of technological competition between China and the US, following competition in the semiconductor field, analysts said.
In February 2022, China launched the "East Data, West Computing" plan, a mega project to establish eight national computing hubs and 10 national data center clusters to channel more computing resources from the country's eastern regions to its less developed yet resource-rich western areas.
In February, China unveiled a blueprint for the construction of a "digital China." According to the guidelines, by 2025, the digital infrastructure will be efficiently connected through a broad range of sectors, and China will become a global leader in digital innovations. By 2035, the level of digital development in China will enter the forefront of the world.
As part of efforts to increase the nation's computing capacity and speed up the construction of new infrastructure, Chinese authorities approved plans to build four national integrated computing hubs in February.
In October, China announced plans to boost its aggregate computing power by more than 50 percent by 2025, according to new policies released by six Chinese government agencies. This comes as the nation steps up efforts to boost its scientific and technological independence amid the China-US tech competition.
Analysts said that boosting computing power is necessary to help China stand out amid the China-US technology rivalry, to enhance its self-innovation capabilities in core technologies and support China's new infrastructure drive.
By expanding computer networks, China can accelerate the development of semiconductor chips, enhance e-payment processing capabilities and effectively harness artificial intelligence technologies like chatbots, the analysts added.
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