China’s specialized computing power scale reached 2,592 EFLOPS by the end of September 2026, marking a 146% year-over-year increase according to data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology during a State Council Information Office briefing in Beijing.
The expansion of specialized processing capability supports the country’s artificial intelligence sector, according to Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officials who detailed the figures at the October 20 briefing. The 2,592 EFLOPS figure represents the total volume of computation capable of handling floating-point operations per second for AI workloads, surging past prior benchmarks as data centers scale up infrastructure.
Telecommunications Infrastructure and 5G Expansion Across Industries
Information and communication networks grew steadily through the first three quarters of 2026. Total telecommunications business volume climbed 7.3% compared to the same period last year, while internet business revenue grew 8.9% across the first eight months.
Network infrastructure deployment expanded concurrently with processing capacity. Gigabit optical networks reached tens of millions of 10G PON ports, with 10-gigabit optical networks deployed on a pilot basis across residential communities, factories, and industrial parks.
Global Market Presence and Foreign Investment in Telecommunications
Market vitality within the sector manifested across enterprise rankings and foreign capital participation. China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom all secured positions among the world’s top ten telecommunications enterprises by revenue. Enterprises holding telecommunications business licenses reached 204,000, representing a 7.3% increase over the previous year.
Pilot programs expanding the openness of value-added telecommunications services continued to draw overseas participation. Foreign-invested telecommunications enterprises totaled 3,455 by the end of September, a 25% increase compared with the same period last year. Commercial trials for satellite IoT services also advanced, with two private companies authorized to conduct pilot operations.
Next-Generation Technology Trials and Industrial Integration
Technical development moved forward across multiple networking fronts. Regulators advanced 6G technology trials to optimize key capabilities and establish a foundation for standards development. Officials also guided the formation of the ION-2030 smart optical network promotion group, publishing technical reports via the International Telecommunication Union to accelerate standards research for next-generation optical networks.
Industrial integration deepened as 5G connectivity penetrated every single one of the 97 major categories of the national economy. Industrial internet applications expanded to cover all 41 industrial categories, yielding more than 26,000 industrial 5G dedicated networks and 1,260 5G factories.
Artificial Intelligence Terminals and Hardware Manufacturing Growth
Device ecosystems and component manufacturing experienced parallel acceleration. More than 100 artificial intelligence terminal products met L3 auxiliary assistance capabilities, allowing devices to interpret complex user intent and deliver proactive services. Positioning technology integration also broadened, as multiple cities achieved complete adoption of Beidou independent positioning chips across shared two-wheeled vehicles and cruising taxis. Meanwhile, domestic printed circuit board manufacturing recorded newly disclosed investment commitments totaling a significant sum of yuan during the first half of the year, quadrupling the amount registered in the corresponding period of 2025.