Beijing has launched an ambitious two-year action plan to transform its core artificial intelligence industry into a trillion-yuan (US$142.5 billion) powerhouse, positioning itself as a global innovation leader. The initiative, announced this week, outlines nine strategic measures to accelerate technological breakthroughs and industrial applications.
Key targets include establishing a domestic AI computing cluster with 100,000+ chips, nurturing over 20 unicorn startups, and supporting more than 10 AI-focused IPOs by 2028. Yang Xiuling of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform emphasized coordinated research efforts and enhanced data infrastructure as critical drivers for success.
The plan builds on China's 14th Five-Year Plan achievements (2021-2025), which saw the country develop one of the world's most advanced AI ecosystems. As of September 2025, China hosted over 5,300 AI enterprises – representing 15% of the global total – with applications revolutionizing sectors from precision medicine to smart manufacturing.
Authorities will implement talent recruitment programs and financial mechanisms to support this next-phase development, while fostering open-source collaboration ecosystems. The initiative comes as global competition intensifies in AI infrastructure and commercial applications.
