The meteoric rise of China's artificial intelligence (AI) sector, exemplified by the groundbreaking success of the open-source DeepSeek large language model earlier this year, has captivated global attention.
This momentum has not gone unnoticed domestically, with AI taking center stage at China's "two sessions," the nation's most important political gathering. From the press conference and ministerial briefings to discussions of the country's lawmakers and political advisors, AI's role in China's future development has been emphasized at every step.
The first plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, March 5, 2025. [Photo by Wang Yiming/China.org.cn]
China's 2024 government work report marked a milestone by introducing the "AI Plus" initiative, calling for an increase in the R&D and application of big data and AI, as well as the launch of the AI Plus initiative to build digital industry clusters with international competitiveness.
One year later, AI remains a priority, with the 2025 report taking this ambition further by explicitly supporting the "extensive application of large-scale AI models" and continuing the advancement of the AI Plus initiative.
"AI plus" reshaping industries
AI technology has demonstrated immense potential across various industries, including manufacturing, retail, finance and health care, said Chen Wei, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC). He emphasized that expanding the AI Plus initiative could accelerate industrial upgrades and promote innovation-driven growth across sectors.