Guangdong pushes AI-powered growth despite looming shadow of Nexperia tensions
A new three-year plan to boost AI-driven manufacturing and foreign investment comes amid global tech-sector friction
Guangdong province – China’s manufacturing powerhouse – has unveiled comprehensive plans to integrate artificial intelligence into industrial operations and attract foreign investment, underscoring its commitment to technological upgrading and international cooperation.
The provincial government held two press conferences on Wednesday to outline a new three-year action plan – launched a day earlier – that aims to harness AI in manufacturing, as well as to preview an coming investment event designed to draw international businesses and capital to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.
At the briefing, officials highlighted progress by regional giants in achieving tech self-sufficiency.
Qu Xiaojie, deputy head of Guangdong’s Department of Industry and Information Technology, cited Huawei Technologies’ Ascend processors and Tencent Holdings’ Hunyuan AI model family as examples of “full-stack ecosystems” that were providing “fresh impetus for the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing sector.”
Both companies are headquartered in Shenzhen, the province’s largest economy.
Huawei last month showcased new developments in its Ascend chip line, unveiling hardware designed to deliver world-class computing power without relying on Nvidia processors.