The central government is planning to pump more than 10 trillion yuan (US$1.4 trillion) from now until 2025 into the economy through the roll-out of “new infrastructure” – which includes a wide range of technology, from next-generation wireless networks to artificial intelligence (AI). The master plan, which will be endorsed by the NPC this weekend, calls on urban governments and private hi-tech giants like Huawei Technologies to help lay 5G wireless networks, install cameras and sensors, and develop AI software that will underpin autonomous driving to automated factories and mass surveillance. SCMP.
Guangdong is already well ahead of the plan. As covered previously, the province has begun work on eight of 10 planned new industrial parks, which will be used for experimentation and development of new technologies. Basically, these involve the creation of products and services that run on AI-driven computing power stored in data centers and distributed via 5G networks. Think autonomous cars and robotaxis, smart washing machines and fridges, intelligent buildings, cutting-edge medical devices, and so on.
