CHINE PERSPECTIVE

China frames the AI data center energy crisis primarily as a technological sovereignty issue and strategic competition with the United States. The South China Morning Post reveals Beijing's strategy: integrating energy-hungry data center development directly into national energy planning, coordinating installations with renewable-rich regions — Qinghai, Xinjiang, Heilongjiang.

The key figure: China added over 500 GW of energy capacity in 2025, a staggering volume giving it a considerable energy advantage. Brookings highlights that while the US dominates access to cutting-edge AI semiconductors, China has a significant energy advantage, creating an 'electron gap' that could redistribute the AI compute balance between superpowers.

But China's Achilles heel remains its energy mix: coal still accounts for 60.5% of electricity production. Carbon Brief notes Chinese data centers are at a 'significant disadvantage from an emissions perspective.' The projection of 6% of national electricity demand dedicated to data centers by 2026 amplifies this paradox.

Chinese media generally avoid direct criticism of this contradiction, preferring to highlight the ambition to 'green' data centers through renewables while maintaining deployment pace. The narrative is one of a computing power race where energy is a strategic weapon.