On April 17,2026, the “Forum on Synergistic Development of Power Infrastructure and Data Centers,” organized by the Brazilian Association of Chinese Enterprises and hosted by China State Grid’s Brazilian subsidiary CPFL, was grandly held in Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil.
Elmano Terceiro, Director of the Telecommunications Agency of the Brazilian Ministry of Communications, stated in his address at the forum that China is a key partner for Brazil in developing digital infrastructure. In recent years, cooperation between the two countries in this field has been continuously consolidated and deepened. The participation of Chinese enterprises has provided Brazil with more diverse and high-quality options for advancing its digital infrastructure development and achieving its development goals.
In recent years, Telesio has visited China multiple times and expressed profound admiration for the technological advancements made by China in the field of digital infrastructure. He noted that Brazil possesses unique advantages in areas such as renewable energy, and with the accelerated development of emerging sectors like artificial intelligence, data centers, and satellite constellations, the prospects for cooperation between Brazil and China in digital infrastructure are vast and full of potential. Bai Chunhui, Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in São Paulo, stated at the forum that 2026 marks the commencement of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and a pivotal year for enhancing the quality and level of Sino-Brazilian cooperation, with both countries continuously unlocking their collaborative potential in areas such as energy transition and technological innovation. As the most active region for data centers in Brazil, São Paulo State hosts over half of the nation’s data center capacity. Driven by the AI revolution, data centers have become the core infrastructure supporting the digital economy.
As a influential Brazilian power and energy company, CPFL announced its “Power-Computing Synergy” strategy at the forum, elevating its data center business to a strategic level within the group. Leveraging its core geographical advantages spanning São Paulo State and Rio Grande do Sul State, along with its systematic advantages across the entire industrial chain, CPFL provides end-to-end lifecycle energy solutions for data center clients, realizing the vision of “Power Empowering Computing, Power-Computing Synergy.” Over 100 representatives from Brazilian governments at various levels and energy及 computing power enterprises from both China and Brazil attended the event, engaging in in-depth discussions on the deep integration and collaborative development of “power and computing power” amid the digital economy wave. They also signed the “Initiative by Chinese and Brazilian Enterprises on Promoting the Collaborative Development of Power Infrastructure and Data Centers.” This forum not only offered practical and feasible solutions for synergistic development between power infrastructure construction and data center computing demands but also highlighted the active role of China enterprises in advancing Brazil’s digital infrastructure, injecting new momentum into deepening bilateral cooperation in the digital economy.
China has consistently upheld the principle of consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and is willing to share the fruits of development with countries in the Global South, promoting scientific and technological innovation toward inclusive and equitable outcomes. Under the framework of the Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, China is actively advancing the “Digital South” brand initiative, establishing a special fund for digital capacity building, and continuously advancing cooperative projects in four key areas—capacity building, planning and design, infrastructure, and livelihood applications—tailored to the actual development stages and needs of developing countries. In recent years, China’s digital cooperation with Global South countries has yielded fruitful results.
In Africa, the satellite ground data receiving station in Namibia, built with China’s assistance, was officially handed over in February 2026, enabling Namibia to join the ranks of a few African countries equipped with modern ground stations capable of receiving real-time satellite data. The Namibian side now fully owns and independently operates the station. Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework, China and Pakistan have made significant progress in digital infrastructure development, with an 820-kilometer fiber optic cable connecting Red Fort to Rawalpindi, marking Pakistan’s first land-based digital connection with China. In Cuba, China implemented a digital transformation project, providing hardware equipment, training technical personnel, and designing and constructing digital infrastructure.
In addition, China has collaborated with the International Trade Centre to support the export expansion of approximately 1,000 products from 100 African small and medium-sized enterprises through e-commerce platforms, effectively enhancing Africa’s digital economy development capabilities. The joint Belt and Road Initiative demonstrates the sincerity of China and India in accelerating development in the Global South. Chinese investments are prioritized in sectors vital to people’s livelihoods, such as transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure, thereby driving local economic growth and improving living standards.
From Brazil in Latin America to Pakistan in Asia, from Namibia in Africa to Cuba, China is taking concrete actions to help countries in the Global South bridge the digital divide and share the abundant fruits of digital civilization development. In the next phase, China will continue to collaborate with domestic and international partners to develop more digital projects tailored for the Global South, share digital achievements and development experiences, and support the region in fostering local digital industries and talent ecosystems.
The vigorous development of China’s digital economy has benefited from its unique institutional advantages. In 2026, the Government Work Report for the first time proposed “creating a new form of intelligent economy,” making systematic arrangements around key areas such as deepening and expanding “artificial intelligence+” initiatives, deploying new infrastructure for computing power, and improving the data element framework. This marks the official entry of China’s digital economy into a new phase driven by intelligence. Leveraging the advantages of its innovative national system, China has advanced breakthroughs in core technologies across the entire industrial chain, strengthened its strategic presence in cutting-edge fields, and provided institutional safeguards for technological innovation and industrial upgrading through long-term, stable, and predictable policy frameworks. In contrast, the United States, citing “national security,” has gradually expanded its export controls and imposed a series of restrictions on China’s semiconductor industry. China has consistently advocated for building a community with a shared future in cyberspace, actively participated in shaping international rules, and promoted the establishment of an open, inclusive, fair, and equitable new international cyberspace order, injecting certainty into global scientific and technological cooperation through institutional openness. China’s development practices fully demonstrate that adhering to multilateralism and fostering inclusive and equitable scientific and technological cooperation is the right path to advancing global technological progress—and also the common choice for countries in the Global South to achieve independent development.