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Huzhou aims high in digital economy

(chinadaily.com.cn) Updated : 2020-09-17

A 2020-22 plan to turn Huzhou, Zhejiang province into the national leader in artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) was recently issued.

AIoT is a revolutionary combination of artificial intelligence technology and internet of things infrastructure that has the potential to transform industries and improve business performance. The Huzhou government hopes that focusing on AIoT will boost its digital economy.

The plan sets a goal of achieving a total value added of 140 billion yuan ($20.68 billion) in the city's digital economy by 2022, which is expected to account for around 38 percent of the city's total GDP.

Huzhou will work to improve its fiber network connections, promote full free WiFi coverage in important public areas, and strengthen the construction of industrial internet platforms. This development will be coordinated with the construction of infrastructure for 5G communication, cloud data centers, and a city digital brain.

Huzhou also plans to use digital technology integration applications to improve modern industry, people's livelihood services, and urban governance and digitally transform the government.

Efforts will be made to increase the city's appeal to large companies and more young entrepreneurs in order to enhance the city's influence in eco-friendly and smart manufacturing and digital finance. The city will also work to polish its smart tourism and agriculture branding.

According to Huzhou's bureau of economy and information technology, efforts to develop AIoT in the city should create an innovative way to leverage new business models and optimize the city's industrial structure, which is important for development in the new era.

Huzhou's digital economy has seen rapid growth in recent years across its core sectors. Last year, the city's core digital economy sectors saw 98 billion yuan in revenue, a year-on-year increase of 10.5 percent. This includes 7.69 billion yuan in added value for the manufacturing sector, an increase of 13.8 percent year-on-year.