China is pursuing a new export model built on AI tokens—digital services generated and consumed without moving computing power or data offshore.

In Qingyang, Gansu, wind and solar-powered data centers illustrate how green energy integrates with digital infrastructure to underpin token-export capabilities.

Experts say token exports could reshape China’s digital globalization by granting direct access to inference and interface capabilities while aligning with green-energy use and regulatory considerations.

Industry forecasts point to rising global AI spending, with infrastructure as the largest cost driver, creating opportunities for countries that offer cheap, green, and reliable computing capacity.

Shantou’s submarine cable landing station and nearby offshore wind resources bolster a green-energy narrative for token exports and improve regional connectivity to Southeast Asia.

The export model leverages offshore data centers, green energy, and low-latency links—such as Shantou’s cable access and proximity to Singapore—to attract international clients.

Major players and initiatives include Kingsoft Cloud, China Telecom, Chindata, and Alibaba’s token hub, with government support aimed at large-scale smart computing clusters and coordinated electricity supply in the 2026 Government Work Report.

Beijing’s 2026 Government Work Report backs cross-border data flow, integrated monitoring, and large-scale smart computing clusters to support token exports.

Industry observers say token exports could change renewable-energy economics by aligning energy supply with computing demand and enabling direct green-power purchasing and grid-load coordination.

Developer activity shows growing adoption of Chinese-developed models and tokens, signaling rising demand for Chinese AI services and ecosystems.

Shantou marked a milestone by completing China’s first city-level closed-loop verification for token exports, allowing overseas users to access AI services powered by tokens produced in China.