The Big Data Expo has become a pivotal measure in China's efforts to secure a leading position in the global digital economy

The China International Big Data Industry Expo 2025 (Big Data Expo 2025), hosted by the National Data Administration (NDA) and organized by the Guizhou Provincial People's Government, wrapped up on August 30 in Guiyang, Guizhou. The four-day event featured 26 exchange activities and 34 distinctive events. Over 16,000 registered guests attended, and 375 Chinese and foreign enterprises participated as exhibitors.

Data Drives Industrial Momentum, and Intelligence Unlocks the Future. The "Data Valley of China" once again drew global attention.

Securing a Leading Strategic Position in the Global Digital Economy

The global digital economy is currently advancing into a new phase, a period marked by the marketization of data elements as a central focus and driven by intelligent technologies.

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "At present, digital technology and the digital economy represent not only a decisive opportunity in the scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, but also a major field of international competition. We must grasp the opportunities on offer and seize the initiative for future development." He added, "Developing a digital economy is a strategic choice for grasping the new opportunities in the new round of revolution in science and technology and industrial transformation."

In recent years, China has profoundly pursued a strategy for digital economic growth, consistently enhancing digital infrastructure and accelerating the cultivation of new business forms and models. These efforts have yielded significant results, leading to the rapid growth of the digital economy.

According to statistical data from the NDA, China's total data output in 2024 hit 41.06 ZB, marking a 25% year-on-year increase. Concurrently, the Digital China Development Index climbed to 150.51, reflecting a 10.65% rise from the previous year, thereby injecting robust momentum into industrial transformation and high-quality economic development. By the end of this year, it is projected that the added value of the digital economy will reach 49 trillion yuan, accounting for roughly 35% of the GDP.

The current Big Data Expo was organized into six major thematic pavilions: Digital Intelligence Leadership, Digital Intelligence Infrastructure, Digital Intelligence Services, Digital Intelligence Application, Digital Intelligence Innovation, and Digital Intelligence Experience. These areas were dedicated to presenting a host of novel technologies, products, and applications from the digital economic sphere. Encompassing developments from the realization of national strategies to enterprise-level technological advancements, the innovative achievements on display at the event vividly delineate the country's digital economy landscape, "built on computing power, empowered by application scenarios, and strengthened by ecosystem synergy."

Beyond its main exhibits, the Big Data Expo 2025 organized a series of exchanges, competitions, and business negotiations, a testament to the increasing global acceptance of Chinese solutions. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), expressed his hope for China and Nigeria to jointly forge a "Digital Silk Road," enabling the seamless flow of data, ideas, and solutions between the two nations, thereby bringing shared prosperity to billions of people.

From signaling China's strategic ambitions in the digital economy era to promoting a new global order for data governance and displaying its robust technological strength, the Big Data Expo has become a key initiative for the country to seize a dominant position in the global digital economy.

A Hallmark of Guizhou's Transformative Growth

The Big Data Expo 2025 marks its eleventh successful installment.

A look back at the past decade reveals a trajectory of significant milestones: from its inception in 2015, it was elevated to a national-level exhibition in 2016. In 2017, the "Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies" were unveiled for the first time. 2018 witnessed the rapid proliferation of 5G technology, and by 2019, the value of signed contracts exceeded 100 billion yuan. The 2020 event pioneered innovative cloud-based dissemination. In 2021, "cloud conferences," "cloud exhibitions," and "cloud negotiations" operated in parallel. The Expo adopted an entirely online format for the first time in 2022. 2023 saw the introduction of an overseas joint exhibition theme zone, and in 2024, enterprises took center stage, playing a dominant role.

After a decade of dedicated effort, the Big Data Expo has undergone a magnificent transformation, evolving from a regional exhibition into a global bellwether for the digital economy. It has witnessed the impressive consolidation of Guizhou's big data industry and the vibrant prosperity of its digital economy, solidifying its status as an invaluable asset for the province's great strides.

Harnessing the Big Data Expo, an international event and world-class platform, Guizhou has pioneered a new development model, distinct from its eastern counterparts and other western provinces. Global technology giants such as Apple, Qualcomm, Microsoft, Dell, HP, Intel, and Oracle, alongside leading domestic big data and internet enterprises including Huawei, Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, and JD.com, have all established a strong foothold in Guizhou. Their presence has not only injected significant capital but also introduced advanced technology and management expertise, fostering collaborative development with local companies and building a comprehensive big data industrial chain.

In 2024, Guizhou Province's big data and electronic information industry posted an output value of over 250 billion yuan. Notably, the software and information technology services sector alone generated revenue of over 100 billion yuan, securing its place among the nation's fastest-growing regions. Cloud services accounted for more than 75% of this figure. As of July this year, Guizhou has cumulatively established 29 large and ultra-large data (computing power) centers. The province's total computing power capacity reached 92.60 Eflops, with intelligent computing accounting for 89.76 Eflops. The share of intelligent computing, its domestic self-sufficiency rate, and its regional concentration in Guian all surpassed 90%, positioning Guizhou as one of the country's leading regions in intelligent computing capability and resources.

While the curtains have fallen on the Big Data Expo 2025, the tide of innovation in the digital age is far from ebbing. As stated by Xu Lin, Party Secretary of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Guizhou Provincial People's Congress, Guizhou will capitalize on the strategic opportunity presented by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. It will prioritize the digital economy as a critical breakthrough for fostering new quality productive forces, giving a boost to the computing power industry with a focus on intelligent computing, the data industry centered on building high-quality datasets, the AI industry emphasizing industry-specific large models, and the electronic information industry characterized by digitalization and intelligence. These efforts aim to deepen digital and intelligent empowerment, thereby leading and supporting transformations in social governance, lifestyle services, and industrial upgrading, and striving to make Guizhou's digital economy flourish.

The Big Data Expo holds considerable promise for the future.