At the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), Beijing set the stage for its next tech leap forward. Sun Lixin from the Beijing Communications Administration unveiled a three-part strategy to supercharge the city's digital ecosystem and cement its role as a global technology hub.
Enhancing Infrastructure: Beijing will ramp up 5G networks, roll out gigabit optical lines, and pilot 10-gigabit systems. The city also plans to build strategically placed computing centers designed for AI workloads, boosting both capacity and efficiency.
Modernizing Industry Governance: By nurturing emerging sectors like AI, authorities aim to sharpen Beijing's competitive edge in IT and establish a governance model that supports rapid innovation.
Driving the AI+ Action Plan: This initiative pushes AI integration across sectors, from smart manufacturing to the industrial internet, combining large AI models with on-the-ground operations. The result? Lower costs, improved productivity, and new growth opportunities for businesses.
These city-level efforts tie into China's national East Data, West Computing project launched in 2022. By shifting data processing from the energy-hungry eastern provinces to the renewable-rich west, the country seeks a more sustainable and powerful computing network. So far, eight national computing hubs and ten data center clusters have been built, helping to bridge the digital divide and boost energy efficiency.
For young professionals, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts, Beijing's blueprint offers a front-row seat to how digital infrastructure and AI can reshape industries, locally and globally.
Reference(s):
CIFTIS: Beijing to advance digital infrastructure to power AI growth
cgtn.com
