Beijing is now treating green computing power as a core political-economic issue, not merely an infrastructure or energy policy matter.
The National Data Administration (NDA) Director Liu Liehong conducted a special tutorial on “Accelerating the Development of New Quality Productive Forces Led by Green Computing Power” at an expanded study session of the Qinghai Provincial Party Committee’s Theoretical Study Center Group on July 3, 2024. The session brought together Qinghai’s most senior Party leadership, including the Provincial Party Secretary, underscoring that green computing power is now being treated as a core political-economic issue, not merely an infrastructure or energy policy matter.
The tutorial focused on computing power infrastructure, data security, the digital economy, green computing power, green electric power, and the construction of the National Unified Computing Power Network (NUCPN). Although not highlighted in the Qinghai Daily meeting summary, Liu also raised the importance of coordinated development between green electric power and green computing power, a pairing that has become increasingly central to Party thinking.
This strategy milestone aligns with the Party’s concurrent emphasis on the intersection of two of Xi Jinping’s major strategic plans via digital transformation: Beautiful China and the ecological sphere of Digital China. In Party theory terms, this framing marks a shift: ecological objectives are no longer treated merely as constraints on digital development, but as productive inputs into the creation of New Quality Productive Forces (新质生产力). Green computing power thus emerges not only as a technical solution, but as a doctrinal bridge linking ecological civilization, digital infrastructure, and High Quality Development.
Site Visits: Positioning Qinghai Within the National Compute System
While in Qinghai, Liu Liehong also visited a series of major computing and data infrastructure facilities, including:
- China Telecom (National) Digital Qinghai Green Big Data Center
（中国电信（国家）数字青海绿色大数据中心） - China Mobile (Qinghai) Plateau Big Data Center
（中国移动（青海）高原大数据中心） - National Supercomputing Wuxi Center, Qinghai University Branch Center
（国家超级计算无锡中心青海大学分中心） - China Unicom Sanjiangyuan National Big Data Base
（中国联通三江源国家大数据基地） - Qinghai Provincial Clean Energy and Green Computing Power Dispatch Center
（青海省清洁能源和绿色算力调度中心）
Taken together, these sites illustrate how Qinghai is being positioned as a node province within the National Unified Computing Power Network, combining abundant green electricity, centralized data infrastructure, national-level compute scheduling, and direct Party-state oversight. The visits quietly reinforce that NUCPN is not simply a network of machines, but a governed national system integrating energy, data, and national development.
A lightly edited Google Translate machine translation of excerpts from the July 4, 2024 Qinghai Daily article “Provincial Party Committee Theoretical Study Center Group Holds (Expanded) Study Meeting” follows below:
On July 3, the Provincial Party Committee Theoretical Study Center Group held an (expanded) study meeting and invited Liu Liehong, a member of the NDRC Party Leadership Group and the NDA Director, to give a special lecture on “Accelerating the Development of New Quality Productive Forces Led by Green Computing Power. Chen Gang, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee, presided over the meeting, and Wu Xiaojun, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Governor, and Gongbao Zhaxi, Chairman of the Provincial Political Consultative Conference, attended the meeting.
7月3日，省委理论学习中心组召开（扩大）学习会，邀请国家发展改革委党组成员、国家数据局局长刘烈宏围绕“加快发展以绿色算力为引领的新质生产力”作专题辅导报告。省委书记、省人大常委会主任陈刚主持，省委副书记、省长吴晓军，省政协主席公保扎西出席。
Liu Liehong provided an in-depth interpretation from several perspectives, including: “deeply studying, understanding, and fully implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on data development and security”, “deeply understanding infrastructure innovation in the digital economy era, and consolidating the computing power infrastructure base of the digital economy”, and “accelerating the construction of the National Unified Computing Power Network.”
“刘烈宏从“深入学习领会、全面贯彻落实习近平总书记关于数据发展和安全的重要论述精神”“深刻认识数字经济时代的基础设施革新，夯实数字经济的算力基础设施底座”“加快全国一体化算力网建设”等方面，为大家作了深入细致的解读。
While presiding over the meeting, Chen Gang pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Qinghai and delivered an important speech that put forward clear requirements such ecological prioritization and green development. [Chen noted that] the development of green computing power in Qinghai is in line with the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech during his inspection of Qinghai.
[Chen stressed that] it is essential to adopt a pragmatic approach, focusing on what should and should not be done, and treat the development of green computing power as an important direction for a modernized industrial system that reflects Qinghai’s local characteristics and advantages. We must make every effort to promote new and greater progress in green computing power while repaying General Secretary Xi Jinping’s care and support with concrete actions and work results.
[Chen further emphasized that] the development of green computing power in Qinghai is in line with the overall development of the national digital economy. It is important to position Qinghai strategically within the national development framework, thoroughly implement the “Eastern Data, Western Computing” project, and leverage the province’s comparative advantages in abundant green electricity, obvious cost advantages, and a good development foundation, and quickly address any shortcomings. Qinghai should deeply integrate into and serve the construction of the NUCPN.
[Finally, Chen noted that] the development of green computing power in Qinghai is in line with the development path of a modernized new Qinghai. We must cherish the best development period in Qinghai’s history, seize major opportunities, shoulder our mission, promote the coordinated development of green electric power and green computing power, thereby driving the construction of digital government and digital society, and advancing the modernization of the governance system and governance capabilities to a new level, and embark on a path of High Quality Development with Qinghai characteristics.
陈刚在主持中指出，习近平总书记考察青海并发表重要讲话，提出坚持生态优先、绿色发展等明确要求。青海发展绿色算力，符合习近平总书记考察青海重要讲话精神。要坚持有所为、有所不为，把发展绿色算力作为体现青海本地特色和优势的现代化产业体系的重要方向，全力推动绿色算力取得新的更大进展，以实干担当和工作成效回报习近平总书记的关心厚爱。青海发展绿色算力，符合全国数字经济发展大局。要在全国发展大局中找准战略定位，深入实施“东数西算”工程，发挥绿色电力充沛、成本优势明显、发展基础良好等比较优势，尽快补齐短板弱项，深度融入和服务全国一体化算力网建设。在青海发展绿色算力，符合现代化新青海发展路径。要倍加珍惜青海历史上最好的发展时期，抢抓重大机遇、扛起使命担当，推动绿色电力和绿色算力协同发展，进而带动数字政府、数字社会建设，推进治理体系和治理能力现代化迈上新台阶，走出一条具有青海特色的高质量发展之路。