National IoT cluster in Wuxi. [Photo provided to en.wuxi.gov.cn]
More than a decade after China designated Wuxi as a national hub for the Internet of Things (IoT), the eastern Chinese city is positioning itself for the next phase of intelligent connectivity, as artificial intelligence reshapes the industry.
By the end of 2025, Wuxi was home to 585 large-scale IoT enterprises, generating annual revenue of 318.4 billion yuan ($47.73 billion). In the first half of 2026, revenue from the sector's major enterprises reached 139.92 billion yuan, up 8.4 percent year-on-year.
Since the launch of its national sensor network innovation demonstration zone in 2009, Wuxi has developed an industrial ecosystem spanning smart sensors, industrial internet and connected vehicles. Its efforts have been supported by infrastructure investment, research platforms and financial services, alongside the World Internet of Things Exposition, which has brought industry players together since 2016.
A bird's-eye view of Wuxi. [Photo provided to en.wuxi.gov.cn]
The city has also expanded into emerging fields. It now has 178 companies in the embodied intelligence robotics supply chain, covering technologies from software and hardware development to complete systems integration. Its intelligent computing capacity has reached 15,619 petaflops.
The 2026 World IoT Exposition, scheduled for Oct 30 to Nov 2 in Wuxi, will showcase these developments and the industry's growing convergence with AI.
As IoT evolves beyond connecting devices to enabling intelligent analysis and action, Wuxi is seeking to build on its manufacturing base and technological strengths to create new applications and commercial opportunities.
Copyright © China Daily. All rights reserved.