As of June 2026, China operated 15.56 million standard data center racks, with intelligent computing capacity reaching 2,185 EFLOPS, a 177% year-on-year increase. The country currently ranks as the world's second-largest market by this metric.
During the first seven months of 2026, at least 158 data center and intelligent computing projects secured bids exceeding ¥100 million each. The combined value of these projects surpassed ¥113 billion.
Investment in intelligent computing infrastructure reached ¥728.8 billion in the first three quarters of 2026. However, only 13.6% of these projects are operational, while 71.6% remain in planning or preparation stages.
Telecom operators lead the sector, accounting for over half of major tenders worth at least ¥100 million. Third-party IDC providers and state-owned energy companies are also increasing their participation in the market.
China's strategy relies on the 2022 Eastern Data, Western Computing initiative, which established eight national computing hubs. This plan shifts demand to western regions like Inner Mongolia and Gansu to utilize local renewable energy.
