(ECNS) — China’s digital infrastructure has expanded rapidly since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, as the country now leads globally in scale and technological advancement while ranking second worldwide in total computing power, an official said Thursday.

At a press conference on the progress of building a “digital China,” the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that the “East data, west computing” project has boosted efficiency by channeling data demand from eastern regions to computing hubs in the west.

Five of the nation’s eight hubs are located in western regions, where clean energy resources can be tapped to lower costs and reduce emissions, according to the press conference.

The initiative also helps narrow regional gaps in development while supporting China’s push toward new digital industries.

(By Zhang Dongfang)