Southwest China’s Guizhou province has strived to build the first national big data integrated pilot zone and will continue to pool efforts to boost the development of the digital economy, especially the big data industry. Major efforts have been made by the province to boost high-quality development led by big data, and the growth rate of the province’s digital economy has ranked first across the country for six consecutive years.
With the rapid growth of the province’s digital economy, data infrastructure facilities have been built, with the Gui’an New Area of the provincial capital Guiyang becoming one of the regions with the largest number of super-large data centres in the world.
The province has also strived to promote the in-depth integration of big data with the real economy, poverty alleviation, rural vitalisation and governance. Moreover, the country’s first provincial government data platform has been established. It allows the online handling of all government services at the provincial, municipal and county levels. Guizhou has also successfully organized six international big data expos, expanding global cooperation in the field.
According to an article, the province has experienced a dramatic shift from poverty by embracing technology. As one of China’s poorest regions where the level of education is also the lowest, Guizhou has benefited hugely from the big data industry and e-commerce enterprises since 2014. Guizhou’s phenomenal transformation started when the provincial government set up the Big Data Enterprise Development Steering Group in 2014. Guizhou’s success in becoming China’s pilot region in the big data industry stems mainly from its geographical advantage.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, China has been urging scientific and technological innovation by holding the 18th meeting of the national leading group on reform of the scientific and technological system and building of an innovation system in Beijing. China’s economic and social development requires great and urgent efforts in scientific and technological innovation due to profound changes in both domestic and international environments
Stressing the core position of innovation in China’s modernisation drive, they called for a thorough understanding of the key role of scientific and technological innovation in high-quality development and the new development paradigm. Member units of the group and related departments should take solid steps in advancing scientific and technological innovation over the next five years to help China become a leading innovation-driven nation and embark on a new journey toward a modern socialist country.
In compiling the national scientific and technological innovation plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, it was determined that attention should be paid to shoring up weak links and strengthening the foundation within a good strategic blueprint. According to an article, the 14th Five-Year Plan elevates innovation and technology development to core national priorities and critical to achieving technological self-reliance. This marks a significant shift in priorities towards industrial and national security, as well as reduced reliance on imported technologies.
Investment in technology will go into overdrive and will undoubtedly focus on frontier fields that have already been highlighted for further exploration: artificial intelligence, quantum information, integrated circuits, life and health science, neuroscience, genetics, deep earth and sea exploration, and aerospace technology. There also will be measures to encourage traditional sectors to move up the value chain; strengthening improved farming quality and competitiveness; as well as a greater emphasis on protecting intellectual property rights and talent attraction.
Technology and innovation have become the driving forces. As an emerging tech giant, China has demonstrated it can be a leading innovator both globally and domestically. China is leading the development of new industries built around digitalisation, artificial intelligence, big data, fifth-generation telecommunications networking (5G), nanotechnology, biotechnology, robotics, and quantum computing.