What potential can a single "network" unlock? The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) recently provided an answer at a press conference: during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the total investment in six key networks—water networks, new-type power grids, computing power networks, next-generation communication networks, urban underground pipe networks, and logistics networks—is projected to exceed 10 trillion yuan. These networks are set to become the core drivers for a new round of domestic demand expansion and economic stabilization.
Why is this trillion-yuan investment focused on these "six networks"? Experts in related fields were invited to offer in-depth analysis. The shift is from "factor expansion" to "factor mobility." Shao Yu, Chief Economist at the Fudan University School of Management's Science and Innovation Management Research Center, noted that the introduction of the "six networks" is not merely an economic tool for stabilizing growth but also signifies a fundamental shift in China's economic development logic—moving from factor-driven, scale expansion to enabling the free flow of factors and creating new industrial opportunities.
"Viewed together, the essence of the six networks is the free flow of factors: logistics, information, communication, and energy form a collaborative network," Shao explained. This logic can be understood from three dimensions. First, stabilizing growth. Investments in the "six networks" and key sectors this year exceed 7 trillion yuan, serving as a powerful lever for expanding domestic demand. Second, addressing weaknesses. Water network construction is a strategic measure to ensure national water security, while computing power networks relate to new industrial opportunities. As Shao stated, "It's not just about stimulating scale but more about creating new industrial development opportunities." Third, promoting synergy. Once the "six networks" achieve free factor flow, they will inevitably create entirely new development spaces and industrial opportunities.
Among all the networks, the synergy between the new-type power grid and others is particularly critical. Wang Xiaohui, President of the State Grid Shanghai Electric Power Company Economic and Technological Research Institute, emphasized that the new-type power grid is a vital component of the new power system and a key node in the energy transition. "Its novelty lies in two aspects: on the power supply side, there is large-scale development of new energy; on the load side, new business models are emerging continuously."
Wang specifically highlighted the "computing-power synergy" demand driven by the AI computing power explosion, which further underscores the strategic importance of the new-type power grid. "In new business models, computing-power synergy is a very important component. The ultimate limit of computing power is power." With the rapid growth in intelligent computing demand, the volatility and unpredictability of power loads have intensified. Whether the new-type power grid can flexibly dispatch and efficiently support this demand has become a key determinant for the success of infrastructure development in the digital economy era.
The inclusion of urban underground pipe networks points to another dimension: safety. Li Haitao, Vice President of Shanghai Gas Co., Ltd., stated that elevating underground pipe networks to a national strategic level is fundamentally about ensuring urban operational safety. "It's about turning invisible infrastructure into a visible national strategy." He mentioned that Shanghai Gas is transitioning from "passive response" to "active perception," promoting the construction of smart gas meters, pipeline monitoring, and leak warning systems to upgrade physical pipelines into urban safety infrastructure with digital twins and intelligent early warning capabilities.
How can the "six networks" move from operating in isolation to dancing in harmony? The three experts agreed that the key lies in the digital foundation. Shao Yu pointed out that the core of these numerous networks is whether they can be fully utilized. "This requires a robust digital foundation that can fully mobilize resources, integrating data that might otherwise be fragmented or managed separately into a unified platform for more effective use and application."
Shanghai is already exploring this path: building a new urban infrastructure foundation with the power grid as the base, computing power as the core, and communication as the network, achieving "three-network integration." In the gas pipeline sector, Shanghai is advancing the construction of ring networks and interconnection projects with Jiangsu and Zhejiang, breaking barriers for integrated energy development in the Yangtze River Delta.
Experts indicate that the construction of the "six networks" is both a strategy for economic revitalization and a shift in development logic—transitioning from "quantitative expansion" to "qualitative leap," and from "operating in isolation" to "multi-network synergy." This network is reshaping the underlying structure of China's economic growth.
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