An aerial view of Datong city. [Photo/Yellow River News]

Datong's initiative to "Promote Market-Oriented Allocation of Data Elements and Develop a National 'Computing Power City'" was selected as one of the country's top 30 city reform cases at the recent 2024 China Reform Conference and High-Level Seminar on Local Practices for Deepening Reforms.

This is the only city-level case from North China's Shanxi province to be recognized.

In recent years, Datong has seized the opportunity created by breakthroughs in large-scale models and the growing demand for computing power. Utilizing its "energy + computing power" advantages, the city has deepened reforms in data element marketization, promoting the establishment of computing power centers and industries such as chip, server, switch, and distribution manufacturing.

Emerging sectors like AI chips, heterogeneous processors, IoT, and edge computing have flourished, transforming the city's industrial landscape. Datong has shifted from being a coal and electricity exporter to a hub for computing power and services, transitioning from "watts" to "bits".

In May 2024, Datong was approved as one of seven national-level digital labeling bases. The city was also ranked third nationwide in the "China Comprehensive Computing Power Index 2024", solidifying its role as a leading "Computing Power City" that fosters digital innovation, attracts major enterprises, and works toward building a thriving regional data ecosystem.