Chasing Artificial General Intelligence: China Between Breakthroughs and Bottlenecks

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) refers to AI systems with human-like cognitive capabilities—the ability to learn, reason, and solve problems across domains. While AGI remains a theoretical goal, estimates for its arrival range from 2026 to well beyond mid-century.

The global race toward AGI reflects a deeper technological rivalry—most prominently between the United States and China. While the U.S. leads the charge, China is rapidly positioning itself as a serious contender, backed by rising domestic champions and strategic state involvement.

AGI in China's Strategic Landscape

Although the Chinese government has not made AGI an official national goal, it has begun to signal increasing interest. The concept first appeared in China’s 2017 AI development plan as a topic for exploratory research. By April 2023, AGI was formally discussed at the Politburo level, with Xi Jinping highlighting its importance—a turning point in policy signaling. Since then, provinces like Guangdong and Anhui have issued targeted AGI policy guidelines.

In parallel, leading Chinese AI companies have openly declared AGI as a long-term objective. Their approaches vary, but the momentum is real.

What This Whitepaper Covers

This whitepaper breaks down China’s AGI strategy across five key pillars: Chips, Computing, Data, Models, and Applications.

Focusing on Large Models as the dominant technological path, we assess China’s strengths, weaknesses, and strategic potential. The paper intentionally avoids speculative debates about AGI risks and instead offers grounded insight for multinational companies seeking to understand China’s evolving AI ecosystem.