China has achieved integrated, coordinated monitoring of computing power nationwide, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology during the 2026 China Computational Power Conference in Langfang, Hebei province. The milestone coincides with an acceleration in building a unified national computing network, with intelligent computing scale reaching 2,185 EFLOPS by the end of June, marking a 177 percent year-on-year increase.
National Computing Network Expansion and EFLOPS Growth
The push to unify the country’s computing infrastructure involves extensive physical and structural deployments. According to data released at the conference, more than 70 computing transmission channels linking computing hubs and key regions are now built. Furthermore, authorities have approved 17 regional nodes for national computing interoperability.
To support this expansion, Zhong Zhihong, chief engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated that the next step involves strengthening systematic planning and improving computing utilization efficiency. The ministry plans to accelerate the construction of a multilevel, tiered computing architecture while deploying city-level millisecond access on demand.
Did you know? China’s intelligent computing scale surged by 177 percent year-on-year to reach 2,185 EFLOPS (exa floating-point operations per second) by the end of June, driven by rapid infrastructure development under the national computing network initiative.
Shifting Focus Toward SME Empowerment and Inclusive Computing
Policy attention has shifted from simply building out computing facilities toward ensuring resources can be perceived, scheduled, and ultimately used by enterprises and industries, according to He Baohong, chief engineer of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).
To achieve this, authorities are carrying out special initiatives to empower small and medium-sized enterprises with inclusive computing power. He Baohong noted that the country is exploring service models like computing supermarkets and computing banks. These platforms lower the threshold for SMEs and push computing resources directly into the real economy.
Enterprise Contributions and Telecom Infrastructure Upgrades
Major telecom operators are aligning operations with the national strategy. Chen Yangfan, general manager of China Mobile, reported that the company is focusing on heterogeneous interconnectivity, cross-domain scheduling, and model services. China Mobile is currently building AI data centers that align with the national “east data, west computing” project, deploying gigawatt-level data parks with a contracted scale exceeding 7 GW.
Alongside processing power, data storage capacity is scaling up rapidly. The 2026 Storage Development Report—released jointly by CAICT and partners including Huawei—revealed that China’s total data storage capacity reached 2,021 exabytes by the end of June, representing an 11 percent year-on-year increase. Advanced storage accounted for 32 percent of this total, exceeding 640 EB as regional storage development becomes more intensive and coordinated.
Future Investments and Long-Term Blueprints
Long-term development goals are anchored by clear financial commitments. According to an industry blueprint unveiled by the MIIT, China will invest a cumulative 3.8 trillion yuan ($566 billion) in information infrastructure by the end of 2030. The plan aims to boost the nation’s intelligent computing power to 9,800 EFLOPS.
These targets form a core part of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for the information and communications sector. Officially published on Monday, the roadmap outlines five key priorities: consolidating infrastructure, improving public services, optimizing governance, mitigating risks, and expanding opening-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is China’s current intelligent computing scale?
By the end of June, China’s intelligent computing scale reached 2,185 EFLOPS, representing a 177 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to Ministry of Industry and Information Technology data.
How much does China plan to invest in information infrastructure by 2030?
According to an MIIT industry blueprint, China will invest a cumulative 3.8 trillion yuan ($566 billion) in information infrastructure by the end of 2030, targeting an intelligent computing power of 9,800 EFLOPS.
What role do SMEs play in the national computing network strategy?
China is implementing special initiatives to provide inclusive computing power to small and medium-sized enterprises through service models like computing supermarkets and computing banks, lowering technical barriers for the real economy.
Stay Updated on Global Tech Infrastructure
Explore more in-depth reports on cloud computing, artificial intelligence networks, and digital economy trends. Subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates.
Related reading