By Yu Guangjun

How long does it take to travel from Ulanqab in north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region to Beijing? By high-speed rail, roughly 100 minutes. Yet data traverses the same distance — more than 240 kilometers — in just 2.1 milliseconds via high-capacity fiber-optic cables.

Harnessing its abundant wind resources and cool climate, Ulanqab is rapidly emerging as a major computing hub. As of the end of August, the city had secured agreements for 109 computing projects, covering more than 7 million standard server racks, with 190,000 petaflops of computing capacity already in operation.

A Goldman Sachs report says that Ulanqab has emerged as one of the largest and fastest-growing AI computing clusters in the Asia-Pacific region.

How did a once-isolated city with limited industrial diversification become a rising force on the national and global stage?

For generations, Ulanqab’s harsh winters, low rainfall, and brief growing season constrained traditional agriculture. Its economy has long depended on farming and livestock, leaving many communities vulnerable to climatic fluctuations.

The city was once a key target of China’s poverty alleviation campaign. Over the decades, Ulanqab has earned a string of nicknames, including China’s “potato capital,” “oat capital,” and “wind power capital,” each reflecting its distinctive geography and economy.

Times have changed. Driven by the “East Data, West Computing” initiative, Ulanqab, this once austere landscape, is breaking free from the constraints of its traditional development path, rapidly emerging as a hub for cloud computing, AI computing, and token production. Behind this transformation lies a reimagining of how its natural resources can drive development.

Computing infrastructure requires enormous physical facilities. Servers run around the clock, creating two major challenges: securing a reliable power supply and dissipating the heat they generate.

This gives the computing industry different location priorities from traditional manufacturing. It does not necessarily need to be near densely populated cities; instead, it places greater emphasis on energy costs, climate, and available land. In this new equation, Ulanqab’s traditional geographic disadvantages are becoming assets in the digital age.

Take wind energy first. Ulanqab experiences 60 days of strong winds in spring alone. Combined with an annual solar radiation of 5,500-6,200 megajoules per square meter, these conditions give the city abundant wind and solar resources. Its wind and solar farms rank among the nation’s leaders in annual utilization hours, and installed renewable energy capacity has reached 20.67 million kilowatts.

Computing is an electricity-intensive industry. The more servers a data center operates and the greater its computing capacity, the more power it needs. Ulanqab’s wind and solar resources, once of limited use to traditional industries, now align with the massive electricity demand of data centers.

Cold weather carries new meaning here too. For traditional agriculture and livestock farming, low average temperatures and a short frost-free season limit the growing season. For data centers, however, the same cold climate offers a natural source of cooling.

Ulanqab’s average summer temperature is just 18.8 degrees Celsius, and the region enjoys nearly 10 months of natural cooling each year. Large data centers can use cool outdoor air to dissipate heat, reducing energy consumption by an estimated 30 percent. What once constrained agricultural production has become an economic resource that directly lowers computing costs.

Then there’s proximity. “Just a ‘step’ west of Beijing lies Ulanqab” is a slogan that captures the city’s close proximity to the capital. Ulanqab is over 300 kilometers from Beijing. For traditional goods, that distance can mean lengthy transport times and high logistics costs. For data, however, a dedicated 144-fiber, dual-route link to Beijing enables ultra-low-latency transmission.

Powered by green electricity, natural cooling and ultra-low-latency connectivity, Ulanqab is meeting growing demand from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region for AI training, autonomous driving R&D and big data processing.

By converting its natural and geographic advantages into digital hub strengths, the city is emerging as a green computing powerhouse. Leading companies in AI and smart vehicles are setting up operations there, driving the development of a full industrial chain spanning computing infrastructure, hardware manufacturing, cybersecurity, data services and talent training. Ulanqab is emerging as a key hub in China’s integrated national computing network.

Ulanqab is evolving from a transportation hub into a computing hub, unlocking new avenues for growth in the digital economy.

By Li Hongxing, People’s Daily

One way to gauge a region’s appeal to investors and entrepreneurs is to listen to those already embedded in its ecosystem. Take a European founder based in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province, who has called the city home for over a decade. He reports receiving daily inquiries from overseas startup leaders eager to visit, explore partnerships, or establish operations in China.

The steady stream of visitors eager to explore Shenzhen and its tech companies offers a glimpse into the growing global interest in China’s innovation ecosystem.

This is no fleeting trend. It underscores investors’ confidence in China and their optimism about the country’s prospects. The steady flow of overseas technology delegations, increasingly regular cross-border business discussions, and growing interest in “looking east” go beyond conventional economic and trade ties. They offer a vivid illustration of how the world is gaining a new understanding of China and seeking opportunities for cooperation and shared development.

Increasingly, entrepreneurs, researchers, and investment institutions from around the world are traveling to China to learn firsthand about its innovation mechanisms, industrial dynamics, and development pathways. Looking back at China’s evolving economic and trade ties with the world, this surging eastward focus marks a profound shift and more comprehensive, objective recognition of China’s development.

This transition from trade-centric partnerships to co-innovation rests on tangible structural advantages. Foremost among them is industrial resilience. While several major economies face deindustrialization pressures and cyclical volatility, China has maintained steady growth alongside continuous upgrading. Its comprehensive manufacturing base, extensive infrastructure networks, and large domestic consumer market provide a natural shock absorber, enabling predictable expansion even amid global headwinds.

Clustering amplifies this advantage. At a robot industrial park in Foshan, Guangdong province, for example, more than 90 percent of the components and other products needed across the supply chain can be sourced within the park. A design revised in the morning can undergo testing on the very same day. Industrial clustering, closely connected supply chains, consistent policies, and an open, inclusive market give investors at home and abroad the confidence to make long-term commitments and develop their businesses in China.

If industrial resilience provides the foundation, China’s vibrant innovation ecosystem and the rapid development of new quality productive forces are what give the country its enduring appeal.

Confidence in China’s development rests on its innovation capabilities. From basic research to practical applications, breakthroughs are emerging across a wide range of technological fields. 

These efforts are yielding visible results. In northwestern China, renewable energy projects in the Gobi Desert are powering data centers, transforming cities such as Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia and Qingyang in Gansu province into key nodes in the national computing network. 

Meanwhile, in Hefei, east China’s Anhui province, the experimental nuclear fusion device known as an “artificial sun” and the Zuchongzhi 3.0 quantum computing prototype continue to set world records, strengthening China’s position in frontier technologies. 

A recent report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization shows that China has 25 of the world’s top 100 innovation clusters, ranking first globally for the fourth consecutive year.

The more China innovates, the more the world stands to benefit. Some international observers have noted China’s increasingly important role in the global innovation ecosystem, while others have praised Chinese developers for pushing the boundaries of innovation every day. From quantitative growth to qualitative breakthroughs, and from individual advances to progress across entire systems, the vitality and rapid development of China’s innovation sector demonstrate that innovation can be made anywhere, and that practical action is what turns pioneers into leaders.

A strong industrial foundation and vibrant innovation are not enough on their own. They also need a favorable environment where they can flourish. By further opening up and continuously building a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized, China is strengthening the institutional foundations for attracting global resources and building momentum for shared development.

The advantages of this environment are reflected in more targeted services and the effective implementation of practical policies. Across China, for example, policies on entry visas, length of stay, residence, and support for integration are being improved to help foreign professionals put down roots, develop their careers, and grow their businesses. 

From more targeted industrial policies and efficient government services to robust intellectual property protection and an open, diverse innovation culture, China is introducing concrete reforms that make its environment more inclusive and its institutions more supportive, further enhancing its appeal as a place to develop and invest.

Looking beyond the surface reveals the deeper reasons behind the growing interest in China’s innovation ecosystem. The visible sign is the steady stream of visiting delegations; beyond that lie expanding opportunities for cooperation; at the deepest level is global confidence in China’s industrial strength, innovation capabilities, and institutional environment. Against the backdrop of global industrial transformation and rapid technological change, this interest reflects a rational assessment by market participants.

Looking ahead, China will continue to consolidate its foundations for development with the same persistence as a craftsman driving a nail, pursue new heights in innovation with the determination of a climber, and expand international cooperation with an open and inclusive mindset. By doing so, China can turn the growing global interest in “looking east” into mutually beneficial outcomes, demonstrating that China’s success can contribute to a better future for the world.

By Li Hongxing, People’s Daily

Two bridges over the Huajiang River in southwest China’s Guizhou province offer a striking glimpse into the remarkable transformation of China’s former revolutionary base areas.

The first is the Huajiang Chain Bridge. With its iron chains and wooden-plank deck, it spans a section of the Beipan River. 

In 1935, as the Right-Flank Column of the Central Red Army advanced into southwestern Guizhou, the 11th Regiment of the Third Red Army Corps held its position here, buying precious time for the main force.

This wartime lifeline embodied the determination to overcome every challenge and fight for victory.

The other one, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, is pushing the boundaries of bridge construction in mountainous terrain through intelligent construction, innovative materials, advanced wind-resistant designs, and environmentally friendly building techniques. 

Its construction, which has set multiple world records, has effectively bridged the “gaps” created by the mountains and canyons.

The old and new bridges now stand within sight of each other, offering a vivid picture of how former revolutionary base areas have changed, and Guizhou is far from the only example.

The opening of flights at Ruijin Airport in east China’s Jiangxi province has given people in southern Jiangxi and western Fujian, both former revolutionary base areas, a new “air corridor” linking them with the rest of the country. 

The Jiajin Mountain Tunnel in southwest China’s Sichuan province has entered trial operation, turning the arduous journey “over” the mountain into a smooth passage “through” it and freeing local residents from worries about mountain closures caused by winter snow and ice.

Bridges spanning valleys, passenger planes roaring overhead, and tunnels piercing through mountains — the path to modernization for old revolutionary base areas is growing ever broader.

What is driving these once-remote areas to take on a new look? 

Major undertakings call for riding the tide of the times. Development anchored in the prevailing trends of the era ensures the right direction and provides a strong driving force. That once-remote regions are no longer isolated, and less-developed areas no longer lag behind, owes much to their ability to seize opportunities of the times and align themselves with broader development trends.

Deep in the mountains of Baisha township in Jishui county, Jiangxi province, fruit farmers are now able to sell their produce through livestreaming. This mountain hamlet, where people once “shouted to communicate and traveled on foot”, is now equipped with 5G base stations, bringing new vitality to rural revitalization.

Today, China boasts nearly 4.6 million 5G base stations and over 30.53 million gigabit-capable network ports, achieving gigabit-level connectivity for every county and 5G coverage in every township.

From snow-capped mountains peaks to seashores, from the depth of dense forests to desert steppes, digital infrastructure functions like an intricate neural network, bridging the digital divide and bringing the benefits of digital and intelligent technologies to every corner of the country.

For many regions, abundant resources and convenient locations offer a head start. Yet experience shows that the availability or scarcity of resources and other factors of production is never an absolute determinant. With the right approach and by building on their own strengths, regions can turn limitations into new advantages and cultivate new growth drivers from what they already have.

During the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the people and soldiers of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region stepped up production to break the enemy’s blockade, turning Qingyang in Gansu into the “granary of eastern Gansu.”

Today, Qingyang has once again taken stock of its strengths, drawing on its abundant energy resources and cool climate to develop data centers. Massive volumes of data can travel from Shanghai to the city in a matter of seconds, while computing power in Qingyang enables entrepreneurs in Guangdong in south China to render 3D models at high speed. 

As server lights replace oil lamps and streams of digital data flow across the land, data and computing power have become a new kind of “grain,” helping drive local development while serving the needs of the country as a whole.

Industrial upgrading and regional development both require a focus on local strengths and core industries, as well as openness to wider cooperation and integration.

The Fujian-Ningxia collaboration is a case in point. New forms of cooperation, such as “Fujian enterprises + Ningxia resources” and “Fujian headquarters + Ningxia production bases,” are deepening and expanding. Freight trains under Ningxia’s multimodal transport “single-document system,” a system featuring one unified transport document covering the entire journey across different transport modes, carry full loads of goods bound for Fujian, Guangdong and beyond.

Mountains and seas no longer stand as barriers. What began as one-way assistance has evolved into two-way mutual collaboration. Cross-regional reconfiguration of production factors has made regional cooperation more resilient and substantive.

From the transformation of former revolutionary base areas to coordinated progress across regions, and from these changes to the steady and high-quality growth of China’s economy, China is continuing along its Long March in the new era, moving forward with courage and opening up new horizons.