$37 billion 'Stargate of China' project takes shape — country is converting farmland into data centers to centralize AI compute power

China is embarking on a $37 billion project to convert farmland into data centers in Wuhu, aiming to centralize AI compute power and compete with the U.S. The project, dubbed the "Stargate of China," involves consolidating dispersed data centers into a unified network using Huawei's UB-Mesh tech. The data centers will serve major cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou, enhancing AI applications for residents. China is strategically locating new data centers near large populations and repurposing existing facilities to focus on training LLMs, while also planning to link underutilized data centers for redundancy and surplus compute sales. This move is part of China's efforts to rapidly develop its AI capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign technology amid a competitive chip dominance battle with the U.S.