Tucked away in the mountainous area of southwest China, Guizhou Province has transformed from an underdeveloped region into one of the country's leading centers for data storage and computing power by leveraging its cool climate, abundant energy, and stable geology to host massive data centers.

Guizhou, where nearly 92 percent of the land is covered by mountains and hills, is now home to more than 30 large data centers serving global tech giants including Apple, Huawei, and Tencent.

Data has become one of the world's most valuable resources in the digital economy, and China is rapidly expanding the infrastructure needed to meet growing digital demand.

Behind every click, message, and online purchase lies a vast network of servers storing, processing, and protecting information. In Guizhou, that infrastructure is taking shape at scale.

"Our refreshing climate allows data centers built in Guizhou to operate at a significantly lower cost. Guizhou essentially acts as a 'natural air conditioner,' providing consistent temperatures and cooling for these facilities. With winters that are never harsh and summers that are never sweltering, our average annual temperature stays between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius. This natural cooling is ideal for server heat dissipation and drastically reduces energy consumption," said Xiang Biao, deputy director of the Big Data Development Administration of Guizhou Province.

One of the key facilities in Guizhou is China Telecom's information park, which has been running for more than 10 years.

According to Gu Wei, deputy general manager of the Computing Power Center at China Telecom Cloud Computing Guizhou Information Park, the park has gradually evolved from general computing into an integrated data center that combines general computing, supercomputing, and intelligent computing.

"The information park is trying to shift from being a simple resource provider in its early stage to a comprehensive service provider that integrates resources, computing power, technological innovation, and operational services. In other words, we are moving from a purely resource-selling model toward becoming a full-scale computing service provider," he said.

Data centers across Guizhou have become the backbone of China's digital future, powering cloud computing, artificial intelligence, financial systems, social media, and scientific research.

"We have deep cooperation in sectors such as transportation, healthcare, film rendering, meteorology, as well as food and chemicals," said Gu.

Guizhou's transformation has drawn comparisons to Silicon Valley, with some now calling it China's Big Data Valley. Looking ahead, the province aims to deepen its role in the national digital landscape.

"Standing at the starting line of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), Guizhou will anchor its position in 'providing computing power, providing data, and leading in applications.' By remaining strategic in our focus, we will vigorously develop the AI industry, specifically focusing on industry-specific large models. Leveraging our resources in computing power and data scenarios, we will drive the deep integration of digital technology into the real economy," said Xiang.

The economic impact has been dramatic.

Guizhou's digital economy now contributes more than one-third of the province's GDP, and it has recorded the fastest digital growth rate in China for seven consecutive years.

For a region once defined by isolation, officials say that marks a remarkable transformation into a digital powerhouse.