China is accelerating its AI infrastructure development with a goal to more than quadruple its intelligent computing capacity by 2030, aiming for 9,800 eflops through massive deployment of accelerator cards and expanded data center networks.
- Plan targets 9,800 eflops AI computing capacity by 2030.
- 3.8 trillion yuan ($532 billion) investment in AI infrastructure.
- Focus on homegrown chip integration and next-gen 6G networks.
What happened
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced a five-year plan aiming to increase the nation’s AI computing capacity to 9,800 eflops by 2030, more than four times its capacity at mid-2026. The plan includes deploying large-scale intelligent computing clusters with up to 100,000 accelerator cards and tailoring inference computing for varied AI applications. It calls for a cumulative investment of 3.8 trillion yuan (approximately US$532 billion) in information infrastructure over the next five years.
This expansion builds on an existing rapid growth trajectory, with capacity reaching 2,450 eflops by July 2026 and already encompassing 52 facilities equipped with more than 10,000 accelerator cards. The plan also supports efforts to adapt infrastructure around domestically developed computing chips to reduce reliance on foreign technology, alongside linking fragmented regional computing resources into a more cohesive national network.
Why it matters
China’s push to quadruple intelligent computing capacity targets meeting the accelerating demand from AI workloads, evidenced by a leap in daily token usage from 100 billion in early 2024 to 140 trillion by March 2026. The country is aiming to secure a competitive edge in AI by establishing substantial infrastructure, fostering homegrown AI chip adoption, and improving data center efficiency through strategic geographical shifts in computing power from the east to the western regions with cheaper land and abundant energy.
This initiative also signals China's broader ambition to lead in next-generation communication technologies, positioning itself for a strong role in 6G development and deployment. With a strong foundation in 5G already established, transitioning toward 5G-Advanced and future 6G standards will further integrate intelligent computing into nationwide digital and industrial ecosystems.
What to watch next
Key indicators to monitor will include the pace of scaling up AI computing clusters, progress in integrating Chinese-designed chips into these infrastructures, and the extent to which the geographic redistribution of computing resources advances. The success of linking fragmented regional capacities into a cohesive national network will also be critical to reaching the 2030 target.
Additionally, developments in commercial 6G readiness, including standardization, spectrum allocation, and pilot deployments, will reveal how China is positioning its future communications framework to support intelligent computing. The response of domestic and international markets to China’s expanded AI infrastructure and its impact on competing AI chip ecosystems should also be closely observed.