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 Qinghai, already the size of the Bolivian economy, had the globe’s largest electric vehicle battery plant in 2019 at 24 GWh annual capacity. Qinghai's 22.5 million tonne lithium reserves is more than 70% domestically and around 24% globally. 36 GW of renewable energy constituted over 90% of Qinghai’s overall power capacity by 2020. The $5.4 billion 2.2 GW Huanghe solar power facility is the largest in China.

 

Shaanxi, already the size of the Malaysian economy, capital Xi’an has a $1.75 billion 30 GWh annual electric battery facility and develops 300,000 electric vehicles yearly. Renewable capacity will reach 65 GW by 2025 that will account for around 50% of overall power capacity. Xi’an had over 1.3 million digital yuan wallets registered and over 70,000 payment locations by June 2021. Shaanxi will become a drone logistical aviation hub for Central and Eastern Europe with Xi’an and Prague connected by rail via Istanbul over 11,500 km reducing travel time to around two weeks.

 

Shandong, already the size of the Dutch economy, will near-double 5G base stations to 180,000 by the end of 2023 at a 50% user penetration. There will be 500,000 new electric vehicles between 2020 and 2022. Shandong’s 50 GW renewable capacity will near-double to 90 GW by 2030. Qingdao is developing a globally pioneering 600 km/h high-speed maglev train by potentially 2025 to reduce travel between Beijing and Shanghai to only 30 minutes longer than by airplane. The global-leading 360 MW NOOR Solar Complex in Morocco powers over one million homes.

 

Shanghai, already the size of the Thai economy, had 1,150 AI core enterprises in 2020 and already constructed 125,000 5G base stations. Shanghai will increase new energy vehicle charging piles by 200,000 until 2024 for 50% electric new vehicle sales by 2025. Baidu will establish about 200 autonomous robotaxis. Shanghai’s robotics industry, constituting 11% of global output, includes ABB's 10,000-unit yearly capacity factory and the Zhangjiang AI Robot Valley. Shanghai won the World Smart City Award 2020 becoming a ‘Dual Gigabit’ broadband city. Shanghai is constructing the Dubai’s 950-MW Noor Energy I Concentrated Solar Power plant.

 

Shanxi, already the size of the New Zealand economy, has the 50 MW biggest Asian single ‘hyperscale’ data centre while a blockchain financial services platform processed SME loans totalling over $1 billion by 2020. 150,000 methanol hydrogen FCVs are being developed with over 200 gas stations in China’s ‘hydrogen valley’. Shanxi had 61 GW renewable capacity by 2021 (including a domestic leading annual 4 GW installation of PV in 2020). Datong is globally pioneering 800-1,000 km/h maglev high-speed rail R&D. The 257 MW Phu Yen Solar Power Plant in Vietnam is nationally historic.

 

Sichuan, already the size of the Iranian economy, will treble 5G base stations to 120,000 by 2022 before over-doubling to 250,000 by 2025. Sichuan’s $15.62 billion electric vehicles will increase six-fold to 600,000 by 2025 facilitated by over 200,000 charging piles by 2022. Sichuan had a national leading 78 GW hydropower capacity in 2019 and is aiming for 100% renewable electricity by 2025. Chengdu unveiled the globe’s longest 3D printed bridge at 21.5 m. The 4.6 km Chengdu Future City will have autonomous vehicle connected-high-tech sustainable clusters. Chengdu is western China’s biggest BRI logistical transport centre.

 

Tianjin, already the size of the Greek economy, had a $22.4 billion overall AI investment by 2020. Tianjin will over-double its 5G base stations to 70,000 by 2025. Tianjin develops 400,000 electric vehicles annually and will further establish 800 hydrogen battery vehicles by 2022. The 100% renewable Tianjin Eco-City with 95% green transport by 2035 will harness 5G, drones, and 24/7 autonomous supermarkets as a BRI sustainable smart city pioneer. Tianjin is establishing a 5G smart sustainable global maritime hub with pioneering full-autonomy featuring 88 autonomous cranes and trucks.

 

Tibet, already the size of the Senegalese economy, by 2026 will serve as a South Asian offshore cloud-computing big data centre. Tibetan salt lakes contain up to 20 million lithium tonnes at 28% of domestic reserves. Tibet will have more than 100 GW hydropower capacity by 2025 including the 60 GW Medog super-dam. Tibet has 12 GW PV capacity already as renewable energy constitutes almost 90% of generational power. The $44.7 billion 1,742 km 200 km/h 5G-equipped Sichuan-Tibet High-Speed Railway will open by 2028 while there will be rail to Kathmandu and a 28 km Himalayan tunnel.

 

Xinjiang, already the size of the of the Iraqi economy, will have almost 6.5 million electric vehicles by 2038 at over 85% penetration. Xinjiang constitutes 45% of global polysilicon production and 95% solar module silicon sourcing. Xinjiang has 36 GW of installed renewable capacity at more than the UK or Japan that will over-double to 82 GW by 2025 supplying Central Asia already. Over 5,000 drones contributed to Xinjiang’s cotton output constituting almost 20% globally. The Digital Silk Road, the new global ‘information superhighway’, will connect Xinjiang, Pakistan, and Africa.

 

Yunnan, already the size of the South African economy, will have 200,000 5G base stations by 2025. Over five million lithium tonnes will facilitate almost 410,000 electric vehicles by 2022. Yunnan has the second national-leading hydropower capacity at 62 GW with 85% renewable overall power capacity by 2025. The Jinsha River will establish the biggest global renewable energy corridor including the 16 GW Baihetan Hydropower Station. Yunnan will be a South-East Asian high-speed rail, big data, and e-commercial tourism BRI hub and serve as a solar power hub for Myanmar and the Indian Ocean.

 

Zhejiang, already the size of the Swiss economy, had 43,000 AI companies by 2020 and will nearly double 5G base stations to 120,000 by 2022. Hangzhou globally led blockchain patents by November 2021. Zhejiang had 310,000 electric vehicles by 2019. Zhejiang will construct a nationally historic autonomous V2X smart solar-powered superhighway for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. Zhejiang accounts for 15% of domestic robotics demand. DPVR and Pico Interactive Inc are the second and third biggest VR headset exporters globally. Hangzhou’s ‘City Brain’ was exported to Kuala Lumpur as part of the Digital Silk Road.  

DIGITAL PROVINCES GUIDE PART TWO: COUNTDOWN TO THE CHINESE CENTURY

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