China converts rural potato region into AI data hub in US tech rivalry

China is transforming a rural potato-growing area into a major data processing center to support its AI ambitions, underscoring the strategic importance of data infrastructure in the US-China technological competition. The move signals a deliberate push to localize AI capabilities away from coastal hubs, though the specific location and scale remain unspecified. This development highlights the infrastructural dimension of the tech rivalry, with implications for supply chains and digital sovereignty.