Back in July 2023, few could have predicted the rapid transformation in China’s tech scene. By early 2025, conversations at dinner tables included buzz about AI platforms like DeepSeek, and the streets hummed with electric vehicles while drones delivered meals with surprising ease. Unitree’s humanoid robots even captured hearts on a widely viewed Spring Festival Gala.
China isn’t just keeping up—it’s fast becoming the leader in several tech arenas, especially in artificial intelligence. The country’s ability to swiftly integrate, commercialise, and manufacture new technology shows why early adoption can be such a powerful advantage. When American trade tariffs hit the market, China wasn’t slow to respond.
For many years, the United States was seen as the leader of tech innovation. You might recall that in 2007, when the iPhone first appeared, only a small part of China’s population had internet access. Today, however, juggernauts like Alibaba have risen to global prominence.
The evolution of AI in China follows a familiar pattern. Although Chinese alternatives to San Francisco’s ChatGPT were slow off the mark in 2022, the country’s firms quickly caught up—just as they did with smartphones and electric vehicles. DeepSeek’s new V3 model, for instance, is now recognised as one of the top non-reasoning models by several performance metrics.
As China’s technology sector continues to grow and change, it’s clear that the balance of global innovation is shifting eastward. Keeping up with these trends isn’t just smart—it’s essential for anyone keen on understanding the future of tech.
