China plans to invest 2 trillion yuan in building a national AI computing network over the next five years, with domestically produced chips expected to account for over 80%

According to Odaily, Bloomberg reported citing sources that China is planning to invest approximately 2 trillion yuan (about $295 billion) over the next five years to build a nationwide artificial intelligence data center and unified computing network, aiming to promote the development of the domestic AI industry and enhance independent computing capabilities.

The report states that the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments are formulating a blueprint to build an interconnected national computing hub system, with state-owned enterprises such as China Mobile and China Telecom responsible for operating the main data centers. The plan requires that at least 80% of key technologies, including AI chips, use domestic suppliers, including solutions from companies like Huawei, thereby reducing reliance on US manufacturers such as Nvidia and AMD.

This plan is seen as one of China's most aggressive AI infrastructure construction initiatives to date and is a crucial component of the "Six Networks Construction" strategy proposed this year. Sources revealed that project funding will mainly come from ultra-long-term special government bonds and national strategic industry investment funds, supplemented by bank loans and social capital.

The report points out that China aims to achieve interconnectivity of decentralized data center resources nationwide by 2028, promoting the large-scale application of AI in fields such as healthcare, transportation, and urban governance. If grid upgrades and communication infrastructure construction are included in the overall plan, the total related investment scale could exceed 5 trillion yuan. (Bloomberg)