As night falls, a deep-blue "eye" gazes into the distance. Located in the western part of the Rongdong District of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei province, the Xiong'an Urban Computing Center rests quietly. Resembling a human eye in its architectural design, it is locally known as the "Eye of Xiong'an."
Inside this "city brain," servers glow with streams of blue light, supporting multidimensional computing for government services, urban planning, and ecological management. Large screens display a continuously evolving virtual city model on a digital operations platform.
Weiterlesen: Digital infrastructure powers Xiong'an, China's 'city of future'
China launched seven satellites with a single rocket from waters off Yangjiang in South China's Guangdong Province on Thursday. Among them is CUHK No.1, which is the world's first artificial intelligence (AI) large-model satellite designed for urban sustainable development, according to local authorities and the satellite's developer.
The satellite innovatively integrates high-resolution remote sensing with AI, effectively deploying a large model into space and marking a new milestone in China's intelligent remote-sensing satellite technology, industrial analysts said.
China has established 2027 and 2035 as crucial milestones to reshape its urban landscapes into more efficient, livable and economically vibrant hubs.
The recently released action plan to deepen smart city development and advance citywide digital transformation is a detailed roadmap for harnessing data to revolutionize urban management, services and economic growth.
Weiterlesen: CN: Action Plan for Smart City Digital Transformation
AI infrastructure is being repurposed to provide real-time ecological data – and changing the structure of urban environmental management.
Hangzhou has become one of China’s most active test sites for integrating artificial intelligence into public administration. The city, home to West Lake and the tech giant Alibaba, now ranks among China’s top innovation hubs and attracts significant AI investment and talent. In the nearby Xixi Wetlands, conference halls sit beside canals and protected reed beds. When Alibaba built its global headquarter there, the company promoted the site as proof that rapid technological growth could coexist with ecological harmony.
Weiterlesen: How China’s Smart City AI Is Moving Into Environmental Control
Hong Kong’s commitment to advancing smart transformation continues to gain international recognition, with the city ranked eighth in the Polytechnic University’s 2025 Smart City Index among 73 global cities. The study evaluates the progress of urban innovation across six dimensions: citizens, environment, social landscape, economy, infrastructure and governance.
The index highlights Hong Kong’s strong performance in governance, particularly in the formulation and implementation of smart city policies and plans. The city also ranks first globally in e-government development, underscoring its focus on using technology to enhance public administration and citizen engagement.
Weiterlesen: CN: Hong Kong: Digital Governance Strengthens Smart City Standing