China's national supercomputing framework aims to accelerate digital transformation

China aims to establish a national supercomputing framework to accelerate its digital initiatives and advance the development of new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). 

The framework is expected to be operational by the end of 2025 and will consolidate computing resources across the country to support local development efforts. The objective is to create a more cohesive system that can distribute computing capacity more effectively to areas where it is most needed, local media reported citing the Ministry of Science and Technology.

This move is critical in promoting the growth of big data, AI, and other emerging technologies that rely on significant computing power. 

By implementing a national framework, China hopes to overcome several challenges, including the uneven distribution of computing power, the lack of standardisation, and the insufficient incentives for creating and adopting locally developed software, according to the state-owned newspaper China Daily. Furthermore, like the United States, China is seeking public input to establish AI laws.

A recent report by Yicai Global, an English news service belonging to the state-owned Shanghai Media Group, indicates that the national supercomputing infrastructure will interconnect all supercomputing centres in China to provide an integrated computing service platform. 

This infrastructure will play a vital role in driving China's digital roadmap, which aims to enhance interconnectivity and promote digital technology innovation. The "digital China" strategy, which includes 13 targets, was unveiled in February and is expected to be completed by 2025 and 2035, covering digital infrastructure, data resources, and digital governance. 

Wu Lianfeng, IDC China's vice president and chief research analyst, noted that the roadmap emphasises the need to eliminate obstacles and expedite the establishment of infrastructures such as 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) networks, in addition to data aggregation and utilisation, and the creation of data governance and policies. 

In September of last year, China announced plans to build 50 more high-tech zones by 2030 to spur GDP growth and achieve breakthroughs in quantum computing and 5G communication. Currently, there are 173 high-tech zones in China, with 84 established in the last decade alone. By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the government aims to increase this number to 220, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology.