JD Group's North China (Datong Lingqiu) Intelligent Computing Power Data Center Base. [Photo/Shanxi Daily] 

Datong is making remarkable progress in its ambitious journey to become a leading "City of Energy, Computing Power, and Culture", as outlined in the 2025 government work report. The past year has seen significant achievements across these strategic areas, setting the stage for further development in 2025. 

In 2024, Datong's energy sector experienced substantial growth, with raw coal production reaching 162 million metric tons. It established nine smart coal mines, with advanced mining capacity now comprising 85 percent of total production. 

Datong is also expanding its renewable energy footprint by accelerating the development of the Northern Shanxi New Energy Base alongside 37 wind and photovoltaic projects and 14 energy storage projects. 

Astragalus Culture Park in Hunyuan county is a popular tourist attraction. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

Its tourism sector witnessed a significant boom in 2024, establishing the city as a popular destination for travelers. The number of A-grade tourist attractions increased to 35, with six key scenic spots welcoming 17.19 million visitors and generating ticket revenues of 640 million yuan ($88.46 million), year-on-year increases of 107.78 percent and 35.29 percent, respectively. 

Datong boasts a rich cultural heritage, and it is now using its unique architecture to attract tourists inspired by the popularity of the domestic game Black Myth: Wukong. 

Datong is emerging as a powerhouse in the computing industry, with 680,000 servers and annual electricity consumption exceeding 4.3 billion kilowatt-hours. The industry has generated revenues of 4.67 billion yuan, earning Datong the national data annotation base designation.

A wind farm in Zuoyun county. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]