Government Work Report First Mentions "Building a New Form of Intelligent Economy"! China Currently Has 4.8 Million Related Enterprises

In 2026, the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference for the first time included “Smart Economy” in the government work report, setting a direction for the development of new productive forces. The “Opinions of the State Council on Deepening the Implementation of the ‘Artificial Intelligence+’ Action” released in August last year outlined three stages of goals for 2027, 2030, and 2035, with each stage mentioning the “Smart Economy.” By 2027, China aims to achieve extensive and deep integration of artificial intelligence with six key sectors, with the adoption rate of new intelligent terminals, intelligent agents, and other applications exceeding 70%. The core industry scale of the smart economy will grow rapidly, AI’s role in public governance will be significantly enhanced, and the AI open cooperation system will be continuously improved.

From strengthening the computing power foundation to empowering various industries, from intensified policy support to in-depth corporate practices, intelligent technology is reconstructing economic logic with multiplier effects. This article focuses on key data and practical cases, decoding how the smart economy is transitioning from policy blueprints to industry realities, revealing growth secrets and development opportunities under new forms.

According to Qichacha, as of March 12, 2026, China has registered 192,300 companies related to the smart economy. In 2025, the number of registrations reached 1,267,300, with the highest distribution in East China, accounting for 32.8%, followed by South China at 21.4%. In terms of existing companies, by 2025, the stock of smart economy-related enterprises exceeded 4 million. As of March 12, 2026, China currently has 4.805 million such companies.

1. Registration Volume: Over 192,300 smart economy-related companies registered by 2026

Qichacha data shows that over the past decade, the number of smart economy-related companies registered in China has increased nearly every year. In 2025 alone, registrations rose by 28.9% year-on-year to 1,267,300, setting a new record. By March 12, 2026, China had registered 192,300 smart economy-related companies.

2. Regional Distribution: In 2025, East China accounted for 32.8% of new registrations

Data indicates that among nearly 1.27 million new smart economy-related companies registered in 2025, the highest number was in East China, accounting for 32.8%. South China was second at 21.4%, while the Northwest and Northeast regions had relatively fewer, at 5.5% and 3.7%, respectively.

3. Company Stock: Over 4.8 million smart economy-related companies currently in China

Data shows that over the past decade, the stock of smart economy-related companies in China has increased annually, surpassing 1 million in 2020, 2 million in 2022, and 3 million in 2023. By 2025, the total exceeded 4 million. As of March 12, 2026, there are currently 4.805 million such companies in China.