China is pursuing a comprehensive AI and quantum stack strategy to own open-weight models, domestic accelerators, robotics, quantum technologies, and a robust power grid that supports large-scale compute.

The blueprint emphasizes domestic chip production and locally sourced hardware, reshaping global supply chains with increased competition for foreign firms while allowing selective international participation.

Robotics lead shipment growth in 2025–2026, with Unitree and AgiBot at the forefront and UBTECH advancing as a major household and industrial player, all within a climate shaped by export controls and geopolitics.

Public financing plays a pivotal role, with national and regional venture funds mobilizing investment across semiconductors, quantum, AI, biomedicine, and aerospace, targeting up to one trillion yuan over two decades.

Momentum is evident in domestically produced chip clusters and CPU-focused systems, with potential for Huawei to emerge as a leading AI chipmaker by 2026 amid Nvidia export-control pressures.

MIIT frames AI progress as dependent on physical infrastructure and computing capacity, tying AI advancement to resilient supply chains and domestic manufacturing.

The takeaway is that China’s AI leadership will balance stronger domestic hardware foundations with selective foreign collaboration to reduce exposure to external technology controls.

The 15th Five-Year Plan, starting in 2026, designates quantum as a future industry and treats computing power as national infrastructure with substantial public funding and policy coordination.

Emphasis on infrastructure could influence AI deployment and broader sectors like cloud services, industrial tech, and mobile ecosystems, impacting global electronics suppliers and logistics.

China’s quantum program is moving from academia to commercialization, with STAR Market-ready quantum companies pursuing listings and private funding under state-led capital support.

A 2030 AI infrastructure plan targets nearly 9,800 exaflops of intelligent computing and about 1,700 exabytes of storage, backed by around 3.8 trillion yuan in five-year infrastructure investment.

Public AI and robotics players map a path toward a self-sufficient stack under sovereign investment and domestic supply chains, while export controls and geopolitics continue to shape cross-border collaboration.