A national vision, China's East Data West Compute 东数西算 is a series of local infrastructure projects involving data centers, new energy infrastructures, and new digital industry clusters.
This is a really helpful way to visualise what’s happening. Seeing data centres mapped inland makes it much easier to understand the role of power availability and regional policy, rather than assuming everything is driven by demand or AI hype. It’s a good reminder that in China, location choices are often about system planning at a national scale, not just market proximity.
thanks! Zhangjiakou is a good case (although not necessarily representative) because its both part of the state plan AND it has market demand from being so close to Beijing (hence major investment from private sector) sort of the best of both worlds; others in Inner Mongolia have less market demand and are more state driven ...
This is a really helpful way to visualise what’s happening. Seeing data centres mapped inland makes it much easier to understand the role of power availability and regional policy, rather than assuming everything is driven by demand or AI hype. It’s a good reminder that in China, location choices are often about system planning at a national scale, not just market proximity.
thanks! Zhangjiakou is a good case (although not necessarily representative) because its both part of the state plan AND it has market demand from being so close to Beijing (hence major investment from private sector) sort of the best of both worlds; others in Inner Mongolia have less market demand and are more state driven ...