
State-backed operators would build an interconnected nationwide data center network by 2028, with more than 80% domestic sourcing for key technologies including AI chips under a broader "Six Networks" plan.
China plans to invest about RMB 2 trillion ($295 billion) over five years to build an interconnected nationwide data center network under a program led by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and other agencies, extending a state-backed push to link computing capacity across the country by 2028. State-owned operators including China Mobile and China Telecom are expected to run most of the centers, while more than 80% of key technologies, including AI chips, are targeted to come from domestic suppliers such as Huawei. Bloomberg reported the effort forms part of a broader "Six Networks" plan that could total RMB 5 trillion by 2028, highlighting China’s drive to expand AI infrastructure, strengthen domestic suppliers and reduce dependence on foreign technology.