China's MIIT orders backbone network upgrade to 400G/800G and pushes AI-communications integration

工信部印发《"人工智能+信息通信"创新发展实施意见》

On June 10, China's MIIT issued an implementation opinion on 'AI + information communications.' It orders accelerating backbone network upgrades to 400Gbps/800Gbps between eastern, central, and western hub nodes, and deploying 400G metro networks with all-optical cross-connect to achieve millisecond-level latency for computing access. It also pushes AI-driven network tech: 5G-A/6G air interface intelligence, self-optimizing networks, space-based computing networks, and agent internet. Operators are encouraged to use AI for smart home assistants, 3D viewing, and other consumer services. The post does not disclose investment figures or a timeline.

Why it matters: MIIT's push for 400G/800G backbone and Agent Internet is a clear signal for compute infrastructure and telecom pros, but lacks rollout specifics, keeping it below a must-write threshold.