China: National Development and Reform Commission issued action plan for deepening development of smart cities and promoting digital transformation

On 31 October 2025, China's National Development and Reform Commission issued an action plan for deepening the development of smart cities and promoting digital transformation. It applies to 50 cities to achieve full digital transformation by 2027. It requires cities to build Artificial Intelligence (AI) models for disaster and infrastructure monitoring, to integrate government, bank, hospital, and telecommunication data, and using data to meet the needs of vulnerable groups. The plan focuses on shared data pools, Internet of Things (IoT) networks, and upgraded information and communications technology infrastructure to support the goals of the plan.