By Liu Shiyao, People’s Daily

Satellite internet is increasingly becoming part of everyday life. Ships sailing far out at sea can stay connected, while elderly people at remote care facilities overseas can use stable satellite links to have real-time video consultations with doctors in China.

From September 14 to 20, China successfully completed six rocket launches, sending more than 30 satellites into their designated orbits. The industry is moving from launches once every few years to launches every week, and in some cases multiple launches in a single day, highlighting the rapid development of China’s satellite internet industry, and providing strong dynamism for the country’s economic and social development.

Given China’s vast territory and diverse terrain, deploying traditional ground-based networks in mountainous regions, open waters, and arid deserts remains prohibitively expensive and geographically constrained. 

“Satellite internet effectively circumvents these physical barriers and complements terrestrial infrastructure, delivering broader, more resilient connectivity that helps close the digital divide,” said Shi Shengqing, co-founder of a Beijing-based tech firm.

Beyond expanding coverage, satellite internet serves as critical digital infrastructure for emerging sectors such as smart transportation, offshore resource development, and energy exploration. It also enhances disaster resilience: when terrestrial networks fail due to earthquakes, floods, or other crises, satellite systems can rapidly restore communications, supporting emergency response and rescue operations.

As a strategic industry with the potential to become a pillar sector, China’s satellite internet ecosystem spans satellite design, launch services, ground equipment, end- terminals, and operational services. 

A key priority is to enable satellites to be produced in large quantities at lower cost and with greater efficiency. To this end, China’s commercial satellite industry is rapidly moving toward standardized, scaled, and industrialized production.

GalaxySpace, a leading provider of satellite internet solutions, has integrated robotic assembly lines, intelligent testing systems, and digital engineering workflows, drastically shortening development cycles. Similarly, Hong Qing, China’s only integrated satellite constellation solution provider with full ecosystem capabilities, has brought the assembly-line concept used in the automotive industry into satellite manufacturing. Its intelligent satellite mass-production line in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei province, has cut the time needed to produce a satellite to around 30 hours.

MinoSpace, a major R&D and manufacturing hub in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, operates a dedicated line for 200-500 kg commercial satellites, with an annual capacity exceeding 150 units.

Advancements in launch vehicles are equally vital. Rockets act as the indispensable “ladder” to orbit. China has significantly strengthened its launch vehicle supply chain. Reusable rocket systems are steadily maturing, driving down costs and improving mission efficiency across the industry.

One of the key applications of satellite internet, direct-to-phone satellite connectivity, has become a major focus of global competition. International institutions forecast that the number of monthly active users of direct-to-phone satellite services worldwide will reach 411 million by 2030. China is actively exploring applications that connect smartphones directly to satellites and has made notable progress.

China’s Tiantong satellite communications service has introduced direct-to-phone satellite packages, with monthly subscription fees of around 10 yuan ($1.49), while call rates have gradually fallen. Smartphone makers, including Huawei, HONOR, Xiaomi, and OPPO, have also introduced support for satellite calls. Users do not need to change their SIM cards or phone numbers and can make satellite calls or send text messages directly from their smartphones when terrestrial signals are unavailable.

Yet communications represent only one facet of next-generation satellite internet. Experts generally anticipate that future constellations will converge communication, navigation, and Earth observation capabilities, enabling multi-mission satellites and interoperable systems.

Li Fenghui, founder of Tianjin Yunyao Astronautics Technology Co., Ltd., said traditional satellites essentially serve as nodes for data collection and transmission, with much of the computing performed on the ground. This can result in slower response times and place greater pressure on transmission links. With computing power in space and the support of AI, satellites are evolving into intelligent agents capable of sensing, computing, and making decisions in orbit.

Ren Jiadong, deputy head of the satellite system technology department at GalaxySpace, cited the recently launched PEGA-SUS1, a multi-purpose satellite the company jointly developed with Pengcheng Laboratory, as an example.

“The satellite is China’s first technology-demonstration satellite to integrate a 5G non-terrestrial network base station, core network functions, onboard AI computing, and both space-to-ground laser and microwave communications,” Ren said.

The satellite can move the core network — the “brain” of a 5G network that would normally be deployed in a ground-based data center — directly into space. Ground users only need to connect to the satellite network to access information analyzed by the satellite in real time, much as they would browse the web under normal circumstances.

Shi said space-based intelligence can use large models to process data collected in space, enabling the development of space-native large models and intelligent agents. “Ubiquitous intelligence” can use satellite internet and cloud-edge-device collaboration to make computing resources available across the globe. A space-ground collaborative computing network, meanwhile, would enable distributed coordination between computing and energy resources across space and Earth, allowing them to complement each other more efficiently.

“Moving computing power into space offers unique development advantages,” Shi said. “The efficiency of obtaining solar energy is six to eight times higher than on Earth, while the vast expanse of space could provide virtually unlimited room for large-scale computing infrastructure.”

By Liu Zhiqiang, People’s Daily

As of late July this year, China’s installed solar power capacity officially surpassed that of coal-fired generation for the first time, establishing solar as the country’s largest source of electricity-generating infrastructure. 

This milestone stands in stark contrast to the industry’s struggles just over a decade ago. At that time, many small and medium-sized manufacturers were fighting for survival, while even leading firms reported substantial losses — forcing some to shutter operations entirely.

Today, however, China not only holds the world’s largest installed solar capacity year after year but has also cultivated the most comprehensive and globally competitive solar value chain.

How was such a dramatic transformation achieved in little more than ten years?

The journey began in the first decade of this century, when China’s fledgling solar sector experienced explosive growth. By the end of 2010, China’s output of solar cells had climbed to 8,000 megawatts, accounting for about half of the global total.

Yet rapid expansion masked deeper structural vulnerabilities.

First, the industry relied on overseas suppliers for raw materials and equipment, while its main markets were abroad: more than 90 percent of polysilicon was imported, more than 70 percent of products were exported to Europe and the United States, and foreign brands dominated production lines. 

Second, the industry remained stuck at a relatively low level of development, relying largely on imitation, replication, and processing materials supplied by others, with excessive duplication of investment and limited technological capabilities. 

These weaknesses were exposed starting in 2011, when several Western countries launched anti-dumping and countervailing investigations against Chinese solar products, dealing a major blow to the industry. Markets contracted sharply, and the industry entered a downturn.

Ultimately, overreliance on external inputs and downstream markets eroded industrial autonomy, while confinement to low-margin activities stifled competitiveness — the twin roots of the crisis.

Recognizing these challenges, Chinese policymakers responded with coordinated, forward-looking interventions. Beginning in 2012, central and local authorities rolled out a comprehensive policy framework spanning manufacturing standards, market deployment, fiscal incentives, and tax reforms. 

Designed to accelerate the transition toward a modern energy system, these measures revitalized the sector and ushered in what industry observers have called a “second spring. ” On the demand side, the government deliberately expanded domestic consumption to absorb excess capacity.  

In 2013, the State Council issued guidelines on promoting the sound development of the solar industry, calling for the wider application of distributed solar power and the development of solar power plants. 

Starting in 2015, China launched a “top runner” program for solar power generation, accelerating the commercialization and wider application of technological advances. From 2021, large-scale renewable energy bases were developed in deserts and other arid areas, creating vast expanses of solar panels across the country’s deserts and wastelands. 

These efforts supported the green transition while tapping domestic demand, leading solar power plants to spring up across the country and driving demand for solar equipment. 

International markets broadened in parallel. Moving beyond traditional exports to Europe and North America, Chinese solar firms increasingly engaged in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, shifting from simple product sales to integrated solutions encompassing project financing, engineering management, brand development, and long-term operations. This evolution has steadily expanded China’s network of global partners in the clean energy sector.

Simultaneously, the supply side underwent a rigorous push for technological self-reliance. Breakthroughs emerged across multiple areas of solar module manufacturing technology. The conversion efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells has set new world records time and again. Research and development of next-generation technologies such as perovskite solar cells has accelerated. Technologies including new-type energy storage and ultra-high-voltage power transmission gradually matured, helping address the intermittency and volatility of solar power generation. 

Joint efforts by enterprises, universities, research institutes and the user end have driven continuous upgrades in China’s solar products and power generation technologies.

Backed by a complete industrial system and massive application scenarios, it fostered a virtuous cycle between supply and demand. The sector effectively reduced its heavy reliance on imported raw materials and equipment as well as overseas end markets, and its competitiveness grew steadily.

Today, China accounts for more than 90 percent of global polysilicon, wafer and solar cell production capacity and more than 80 percent of global module production capacity, while domestically made equipment has become the backbone of solar production lines. The average cost of solar power generation has fallen sharply.

Clean, cost-effective and reliable, solar power has built its competitiveness on solid technological and industrial capabilities. Its share of China’s total installed power capacity has risen from less than 0.2 percent in 2011 to 31.5 percent today.

Looking back at the development of China’s solar industry, one can see a clear path and valuable lessons for nurturing and growing emerging industries. It was the unwavering pursuit of high-quality development, the full and accurate implementation of the new development philosophy, and accelerated efforts to foster a new development paradigm that enabled China’s solar industry to turn challenges into opportunities and build up strength for sustained growth.

China is now at a critical stage of shifting from old growth drivers to new ones and upgrading its industrial structure, with businesses in some sectors facing new circumstances and challenges. The development of China’s solar industry shows that the challenges confronting an industry can also provide a valuable opportunity for adjustment and upgrading. As long as development continues to move toward higher quality and greater value, industries can weather cycles and keep moving forward under pressure.

By Wang Junling, People’s Daily

Driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), computing power has evolved into indispensable new digital infrastructure. It enables a wide range of real-world applications: AI systems can now estimate caloric content from a simple photograph; massive traffic datasets are processed in real time to optimize urban mobility; production workflows are dynamically scheduled to enhance factory efficiency; and highly realistic visuals are generated for creative media production.

According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, national intelligent computing capacity reached 2,185 exaflops (EFLOPS) by the end of June 2026. To support this expansion, over 70 major computing corridors have been established, linking key national data hubs across the country.

In August 2026, China unveiled its development blueprint for the information and communications sector covering the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). The plan sets ambitious targets: by 2030, intelligent computing capacity is expected to reach 9,800 EFLOPS, and advanced storage capacity to hit 1,700 exabytes (EB) — representing increases of more than fivefold and twofold, respectively, compared to 2025 baselines. 

But what exactly is the relationship between computing power and storage? And what do these rapid expansion goals signify? To answer these questions, People’s Daily consulted leading experts in the field.

“Computing power primarily handles data processing, model training, and inference, while storage capacity manages data collection, governance, hosting, and distribution,” said Guo Liang, chief engineer at the Cloud Computing and Big Data Research Institute under the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. 

In practice, AI training checkpoints, intermediate states during AI-agent inference, and contextual memory buffers are distributed across tiered high-performance storage systems. By synchronizing compute and storage resources, developers can significantly accelerate AI model training, improve inference speed, and enhance output quality. 

As of June 2026, the nationwide utilization rate of computing facilities stood at 71.4 percent, while total storage capacity reached about 2,021 EB, with advanced storage accounting for around 32 percent.

Large language models are rapidly scaling from hundreds of billions to trillions of parameters, making the compute capacity of individual clusters a decisive factor in training efficiency. 

To address this, the new plan mandates a multi-tiered infrastructure spanning national hubs, regional centers, and edge nodes. It calls for the phased deployment of intelligent computing clusters ranging from 10,000 to over 100,000 GPUs, better accommodating the growing demand for ultra-scale parallel training as model complexity continues to rise. 

According to the plan, China will deploy high-speed transmission technologies of 400G and above, aiming at improving the major computing-power corridors connecting national computing hubs and providing high-quality network support for cross-regional coordination of computing resources.

Concurrently, the plan promotes the integrated development of computing and energy systems, aiming to build green, low-carbon infrastructure that reduces operational costs while supporting national decarbonization goals.

“Efficient coordination” is a key focus of China’s development of computing infrastructure during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

According to a 2026 analysis on China’s comprehensive computing power landscape, Hebei, Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces, along with Shanghai and Beijing, rank among the top regions nationwide in overall computing capacity. 

Overall, regional development remains markedly uneven, while deeper integration of computing power with industry-specific applications is still needed. Cross-regional allocation of computing resources also faces multiple constraints in practice.

Over the next five years, China will build a multi-level computing infrastructure system covering hubs, regions and the edge, improve the interconnected network architecture linking computing facilities, enhance the efficiency of long-distance, cross-regional lossless network transmission between hubs, and fully connect computing platforms across the country. Several experts interviewed said these efforts will significantly improve the efficiency with which data resources are utilized.

The plan sets targets for intelligent computing capacity and advanced storage capacity to grow by more than fivefold and more than twofold, respectively. Guo said the key purpose of setting such ambitious growth targets is to meet the medium- and long-term development needs of China’s AI models and digital industries, while taking into account multiple considerations including industrial development, technological competition and security.

As of June this year, China had completed the filing process for 988 generative AI services, 686 more than at the end of 2024 and 240 more than at the end of 2025. With the number of large AI models rising year by year, demand for computing power is steadily being released, creating a need for a sufficiently robust computing foundation to support the development and industrial application of various models.

Meanwhile, data volumes across industries continue to grow, driving rising demand for data storage, governance and circulation. Intelligent applications are placing higher demands on the supply, processing, governance and security of data, making it necessary to take a coordinated approach to the scale, structure and performance of advanced storage capacity.

“The global expansion of intelligent computing is proceeding rapidly, and high-end intelligent computing has become a critical foundation for competition in the digital sector. Setting a relatively high target will help stimulate innovation throughout the industrial chain, promote coordinated breakthroughs in areas such as intelligent computing clusters, chips and interconnectivity, address shortcomings in computing infrastructure, and gradually narrow the gap with the international advanced level,” Guo said.