“Let the internet better benefit the country and its people” — China advances the building of a cyber power to support Chinese-style modernization.
“Advance the building of a cyber power, promote the development of China’s internet and information technology, and let the internet better benefit the country and its people.” In April 2016, an important symposium on cybersecurity and informatization was held, outlining key plans for building a cyber power.
Without cybersecurity, there is no national security; without informatization, there is no modernization. The “15th Five-Year Plan” clearly states the goal to accelerate the building of a cyber power.
Embarking on a new journey, the internet and information technology sector is actively aligning with the trends of the information revolution, based on current tasks and opportunities, to provide strong services, support, and guarantees for comprehensively advancing national rejuvenation through the new achievements of building a cyber power.
Seizing the historical opportunities of informatization development
On the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, the large model innovation ecosystem community “Model Space” is growing at an accelerated pace.
Attracting over 200 enterprises, groups of young people continuously tackle core technologies and applications in artificial intelligence fields such as model algorithms and data corpora… This AI innovation hub has gradually formed an industrial ecosystem covering computing power, algorithms, and applications, serving as an important window for China’s participation in global AI industry competition.
Currently, the strategic overall situation of national rejuvenation, the century-old global changes, and the trends of the information revolution are converging historically. Major countries worldwide regard the internet as a strategic direction for gaining new competitive advantages. Whether a country can adapt to and lead internet development has become a key factor in its rise or decline.
“Cybersecurity and informatization are major strategic issues concerning national security, national development, and the work and life of the people. They must be planned comprehensively, coordinated with all parties, and developed innovatively based on international and domestic trends.” In February 2014, at the first meeting of the Central Leading Group for Cybersecurity and Informatization, the goal to “strive to build China into a cyber power” was first proposed, with the clear directive that “the strategic deployment of building a cyber power should advance in sync with the ‘Two Centenary Goals’.”
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, there has been a precise grasp of the “timing” and “trends” of the information age, presenting a series of new ideas, viewpoints, and judgments on internet and information technology work, guiding the direction for building a cyber power.
Planning according to trends, responding to changes, and acting in line with the flow.
From the “13th Five-Year Plan” proposing “firmly grasp the trends of information technology change and implement the cyber power strategy,” to the “14th Five-Year Plan” pointing out “activate the potential of data elements to advance the building of a cyber power,” and then to the “15th Five-Year Plan” continuing to make deployments, the path to building a cyber power is becoming increasingly clear.
Strategic planning leads to systematic implementation. Documents such as the “National Informatization Development Strategy Outline,” the “National Cyberspace Security Strategy,” and the “Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Comprehensive Network Governance System” have been issued, adding institutional guarantees for the development of internet and information technology. By December 2025, China has enacted over 180 laws and regulations in the cyber domain, accelerating the legalization of cyberspace.
From strategic deployment to systematic implementation, from top-level design to tangible results, China’s strides toward becoming a cyber power are more determined, steady, and powerful.
Making the internet the biggest driver of development
Delivery robots move smoothly, companion robots engage in multimodal interaction, and robotic dogs navigate obstacles and climb slopes… At the 139th Canton Fair in Guangzhou, multifunctional robots have become standout “stars.” From technological accumulation to deep application in various scenarios, innovations in robotics are vivid examples of how informatization empowers high-quality development.
The internet and information technology sector represents new productive forces and new development directions.
It is profoundly pointed out that “we must take the lead in practicing the new development concept, accelerate informatization development around building a modern economic system and achieving high-quality development, and holistically drive and enhance new industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization.”
Cultivate new drivers with informatization, and use these new drivers to promote new development.
By the end of last year, China had a total of 4.838 million 5G base stations, with the added value of core digital economy industries accounting for over
