China allocates nearly 490 billion euros to networks and computing, targeting 9,800 Eflops

China published its 15th five-year plan for information and communications on 8 September 2026. The document covers the 2026-2030 period and estimates cumulative investment at around 490 billion euros. It directs public spending and incentives toward networks, computing, and cybersecurity for the next five years.

The targets

The plan aims to reach 9,800 Eflops of intelligent computing capacity by 2030. This goal is structured into thirteen indicators and six lines of action. Sector revenue is projected to reach approximately 525 billion euros. Infrastructure objectives include building computing clusters with at least 100,000 accelerators, a threshold that places individual sites in the hyperscale facility class. The document also calls for strengthening 5G Advanced, researching 6G, expanding ultra-broadband, and improving cybersecurity and data protection. These initiatives are framed within programmes coordinating eastern and western regions.

On the ground: Wuhan's 6G hub

Wuhan shows how the plan translates into construction. In the Future Sci-Tech City, specifically the Guanggu area, a 6G industry test zone has launched. The project involves China Mobile Hubei, CITIC Mobile, the Zhongguancun Panlian Institute, and the Huazhong University of Science and Technology. By 2027, the programme plans three infrastructure projects: the country's largest integrated 6G experimental network, an open device for integrating communication and sensing, and an open platform for intelligent metasurfaces. Test stations cover about 3.3 square kilometres.

The European perspective

For Europe, the plan measures the gap. The Union has focused efforts on AI Gigafactories and regulation. Beijing adds next-generation network research to its industrial computing scale. The document cites territorial coordination measures that shift computing loads to regions with greater energy availability, along with a programme integrating artificial intelligence with communication infrastructure.

The issue is not the number of installed accelerators but the ability to connect them. Without low-latency networks and affordable energy, the computing power declared in plan documents remains partly theoretical.