As China accelerates its push for technological self-reliance and high-quality development, Guizhou province has emerged as a trailblazer in the big data sector, transforming from an underdeveloped mountainous region into a national hub for digital innovation. Its success story offers valuable lessons for other provinces seeking to carve out their niches in the wave of scientific and technological innovation.

More than data basement

Guizhou's big data journey began with leveraging its natural advantages — a moderate climate, stable seismic conditions and relatively low electricity costs — to build massive data centers. According to government data, as of January, it hosted 48 key data hubs, including Huawei's largest global cloud data center in Guian New Area in Guizhou. The Chinese high-tech heavyweight aims to deploy 1 million servers in the new area, reflecting its commitment to Guizhou, which serves as a cornerstone of China's "East Data, West Computing" project. But Guizhou's ambition extends beyond infrastructure. By integrating data resources with industrial applications, the province has shifted from passively storing information to generating dynamic, industry-driven insights. For instance, Hongwork Technology Co Ltd, a Guiyang-based technology firm specializing in online recruitment, uses AI-powered job-matching systems and a nationwide flexible employment platform to serve nearly 1 million blue-collar workers, demonstrating how data can revolutionize traditional sectors. Similarly, the province's digital government initiatives, such as integrating facial recognition for power top-up services, have streamlined public administration and set benchmarks for efficiency.

During his two-day inspection tour in Guizhou last week, President Xi Jinping underscored the need to strengthen innovation-driven development with the real economy as the foundation. He called for actively developing strategic emerging industries and enhancing industries such as the digital economy and new energy.

In 2024, Guizhou's sci-tech innovation research and development spending exceeded 20 billion yuan ($2.76 billion) and over 400 new high-tech enterprises registered. These milestones reflect a strategic focus on transforming data into actionable productivity.

Promising blueprint

Guizhou's success is rooted in proactive policymaking and ecosystem building. The establishment of Guiyang Big Data Sci-Tech Innovation City exemplifies this approach. With a designated coverage area of 54.8 square kilometers, Innovation City had attracted some 1,500 companies as of end-February, including Huawei Cloud and Aero Engine Corp of China, with policies favorable for innovation and talent. The facility also launched a 15 billion yuan industrial fund to support artificial intelligence, data applications and low-carbon technologies.

Moreover, Guizhou has pioneered data governance frameworks. In 2025, the Big Data Development Administration of Guizhou Province began soliciting nationwide proposals for public data utilization — spanning sectors like healthcare, transportation and green energy — to foster innovation through open collaboration. This initiative aligns with the operation of the Global Big Data Exchange in Guiyang, China's first data trading platform, which has facilitated transactions worth 7.5 billion yuan since its establishment. Such policies underscore the importance of institutional innovation in unlocking data's value.

Expecting more

Guizhou's sector-specific breakthroughs provide actionable blueprints. For example, in terms of the smart low-altitude economy, Guizhou Tuzhi Information Technology Co Ltd, a geospatial data firm which develops AI-powered systems for drone route planning and weather simulation, aids industries like logistics and agriculture. Its partnership with universities and provincial labs illustrates how niche technologies can address regional needs.

Also, by processing ethnic cultural elements into digital assets, Guizhou is exporting its heritage via platforms like digital film rendering, creating a "culture + tech" global narrative.

Peng Benqian, a manager at Guian New Area Science and Technology Innovation Industry Development Co Ltd — a high-tech business in Guizhou that runs the Guian Supercomputing Center — said the company has provided post-production services for over 100 films and TV shows, including Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2.

The firm's services enhance visual realism, impact and dynamism using techniques such as color correction, compositing, animation, blending and segmentation. These processes transform ordinary scenes into vibrant and engaging content, boosting a work's visual appeal.

"The data volume for a 3D animated film can exceed 250 terabytes. It would take 600 years to complete if rendered on a single server. But with thousands of servers working simultaneously, it can be done in just a few months," Peng was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying.

In addition, amid the national efforts seeking carbon neutrality before 2060, green transition is growing into another major sector. The integration of big data with green initials shows how tech can align with green development goals.

For example, Guizhou has started using robots to conduct routine inspections at its power substations in remote mountainous areas, according to the Guizhou branch of China Southern Power Grid.

In Tongren, robots have been deployed to power substations, where they conduct automatic inspection patrols. Once per week, they patrol and check 3,800 points at the station without human intervention, with an accuracy rate of 100 percent.

Road ahead

Despite its progress, Guizhou faces hurdles like talent retention and balancing scale with specialization. However, its commitment to addressing these issues — through initiatives targeting talent service and R&D investments — offers a playbook for others.

Looking forward, Guizhou aims to evolve from a computing power supplier to a standard-setter in emerging fields like AI and blockchain. This vision requires continuous policy agility and global engagement, such as attracting overseas rendering projects and participating in international tech alliances.

And for other regions, Guizhou's experience highlights the need in many sectors. First, local governments should tailor policies to local strengths. Whether in energy, agriculture or manufacturing, different regions should identify sectors where data can drive leapfrog growth.

Second, there should be cross-sector alliances. Partnerships between local governments, enterprises and research institutes — as seen in Guizhou's collaborations with universities and national labs — are critical for translating R&D into market-ready solutions.

Third, for any region nationwide, be it a hinterland or coastal area, the path of openness is a must. Data sharing and other interregional projects can balance resource disparities and foster win-win growth.

Guizhou's journey from a data hinterland to a national innovator could be deemed as a valuable example that shows the path forward. But it should also be made clear that Guizhou's transformation underscores that technological advancement is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Instead, it demands a blend of strategic foresight, policy experimentation and grassroots innovation.

As China pushes for new quality productive forces, regions nationwide should identify their unique value propositions — be it in data, green tech or advanced manufacturing — and cultivate ecosystems that turn potential into prosperity, and proposals into profits.

The writer is a senior reporter with China Daily.