
How China’s national computing network will be a game changer
- In a world where computing might equates to real power, Beijing’s ambitious plan will do more than lift its lagging west
- The project will allow China to cut its carbon emissions, improve the digital economy infrastructure, and boost its military and national security
With data generation at an all-time high, nations now rely on high-speed computational processing capacity. From scientific research and engineering to logistics management and manufacturing, and from business processes and product development to military hardware, computing power has become a key factor in a state’s technological growth.
As computing power and computational devices become economically and strategically relevant, countries are dedicating both scientific and financial resources to the domain. Scientific and military applications that need better computational capacities are the need of the hour.
Simply put, robust and safe computational data models are integral to the smooth functioning of critical sectors such as the military and finance that rely on data safeguards. With the private sector playing a bigger role, the global computing landscape has become a heavily contested field with multiple state and non-state actors.
China’s rise as a global computing powerhouse can be traced back to 2001 and the state’s emphasis on research to develop its own advanced systems. Beijing’s actions have focused on leveraging its home-grown resources, along with private-sector investment, to produce top-class research and development, and machines with globally competitive computing capabilities.

In quantum computing, China’s programme only started in 2008. Yet, it has more than caught up with the West and now has two of the world’s fastest quantum computers.

The project involves setting up 10 data centre clusters and eight computing power hubs. The computing power hubs are envisioned to spread out across the mainland to ensure improved connectivity.
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Chinese tech conglomerates, such as Tencent, Huawei and Alibaba have agreed to integrate their data computing architecture with the proposed network.
The national computing network is an ambitious project aimed at efficiently using the existing infrastructure. While regional development may be the broad goal, the project has underlying strengths that can help Beijing achieve other objectives.
First, the project has an environmental angle. With China looking to cut its carbon emissions in the coming decade, an interconnected network offers a chance to better use the country’s renewable energy sources, which are concentrated in the northwestern region.
Given that eastern provinces are better developed, demand is higher for electricity, creating an overreliance on fossil fuels in those regions. The existing infrastructure cannot provide adequate transmission lines from the west to meet the east’s energy needs.
Building computing clusters in the west can help China better use its green energy resources, reduce power consumption and cut transmission losses. At the same time, this can help Beijing achieve its carbon neutrality goals.
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Second, the project looks to build a foundation to improve China’s digital economy infrastructure. With many areas increasingly reliant on data digitisation, a national computing network will also look to incorporate an integrated data centre system. Along with data handling and storage, the network can help bring more economic sectors into the digital fold and increase the outreach of many industries.
Finally, there is the military and national security aspect. In an era of cyber and information warfare, computing power and capacity is a tool to mitigate risks. Advanced computing systems are being used to create wartime simulations and better understand military strategies.
Computing power remains a critical weapon in China’s technological arsenal, and this plan can only strengthen its technology infrastructure.
Arjun Gargeyas is a research analyst with the High Tech Geopolitics Programme at the Takshashila Institution
