Stories
Beyond AI: China's Ambitious Five-Year Tech Plan Targets Semiconductors, Quantum, Fusion
- •China's technology plans for 2026-30 extend beyond AI, encompassing semiconductors, quantum technology, biotechnology, brain-computer interfaces, and nuclear fusion.
- •The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has outlined these priorities, emphasizing basic and interdisciplinary research, strategic technologies, and scientific talent.
- •The broader strategy aims for self-reliance across the technology chain, driven by past US restrictions on advanced chips and chipmaking equipment.
- •China's approach links research, industry, manufacturing, and talent development, including training scientists and attracting high-level talent.
- •The US also prioritizes similar technologies, indicating a broader tech competition beyond just AI models, involving advanced chips, critical minerals, and supply chains.
Key Questions Answered
China's tech blueprint for 2026-30 places artificial intelligence alongside semiconductors, quantum technology, life sciences and biotechnology, brain-computer interfaces, and controlled nuclear fusion. The broader 15th Five-Year Plan also targets strategic emerging industries such as aerospace, robotics, new materials, biomedicine, and next-generation information technology.
China's broader 15th Five-Year Plan has established a target for annual research and development (R&D) spending growth of over 7%.
China is combining quantum computing and AI by equipping its 72-qubit Origin Wukong superconducting quantum computer with AI computing capabilities. Researchers have also developed specialized tools such as the Origin Brain quantum knowledge large model, the QPanda3 Runtime MCP service, and quantum-AI hybrid algorithms for electricity, finance, and industrial applications.
