Emerging industries have become major contributors to China's rapid data production growth in 2024, according to the National Data Resources Survey Report 2024 to be issued by the National Data Administration on Tuesday.
China generated 41.06 zettabytes of data in 2024, up 25 percent year on year, according to the report.
The smart devices sector registered the highest growth, with data related to smart homes and intelligent connected vehicles increasing by 51.43 percent and 29.28 percent year on year, respectively.
"On the one hand, intelligent applications such as connected vehicles and large models have significantly contributed to data growth, accounting for over 40 percent of the total. On the other hand, emerging sectors like the low-altitude economy and robotics have become new drivers of data growth, with their growth rates exceeding 30 percent, despite the fact that their data output has remained relatively small," said Jiang Yan, director of the National Industrial Information Security Development Research Center, in an interview with China Central Television.
Meanwhile, China's data resource development and utilization have steadily increased, with artificial intelligence playing an increasingly important role in driving industrial innovation.
In 2024, 66.1 percent of leading enterprises across various industries had purchased data, according to the report.
The adoption of large AI models also saw a notable increase, with the number of companies using them rising by over 37 percent year on year. In addition, around 10 percent of enterprises nationwide are now using large AI models to assist in research and development, production, sales, and other business processes, according to the report.
The report also highlighted the growing role of economic powerhouse provinces as major data resource hubs.
"Nationwide, data resources are increasingly concentrated in the eastern regions. In Jiangsu and Guangdong, digital investment by enterprises is 1.71 times of the national average, providing strong support for regional data development and utilization," Jiang added.
Emerging industries become major contributors to China's rapid data production growth in 2024: report
The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked since Saturday evening and will not reopen until the United States lifts its naval blockade on the waterway.
In a statement carried by its official news outlet Sepah News, the IGRC said that the move came after the United States violated its commitments under the two-week ceasefire, which took effect on April 8, and failed to end its naval blockade against Iranian vessels and ports.
The IRGC Navy called on all vessels and their owners to follow official updates via its channel and VHF Channel 16, the international maritime distress, safety, and calling frequency. The statements by U.S. President Donald Trump hold no credibility in the strait and the Gulf, it added.
The IRGC warned that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Gulf or the Gulf of Oman, and any approach to the strait would be deemed "cooperation with the enemy" and targeted accordingly.
Tehran's political leadership echoed the IRGC's firm position. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iran's control, revealing that during previous negotiations, Iran had firmly countered U.S. attempts to carry out minesweeping operations, which Tehran viewed as a ceasefire violation.
He said the situation had come close to conflict, but the U.S. had eventually backed off.
Calling the U.S. maritime blockade "reckless and ignorant," Ghalibaf warned that passage through the strait would certainly be restricted if Washington does not lift the blockade.
Underpinning these public announcements, Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Saturday affirmed the country's resolve to exercise control and supervision over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war is definitively ended and lasting peace is achieved in the region.
For its part, the United States pressed ahead with its own military measures.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Saturday that the U.S. military is imposing a maritime blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports and nearby coastal areas. Since the blockade began on April 13, 23 ships have complied with U.S. directions to turn around.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military is preparing in the coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing U.S. officials.
The move will enable the U.S. to take control of Iran-linked vessels around the world, including ships carrying Iranian oil that are already sailing outside the Persian Gulf and those carrying arms that could support Tehran, the report said.
Iran's IRGC says Strait of Hormuz blocked, demands end to US naval blockade
