Baotou is the first city in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to host a cloud computing center, leading the way in developing a big data industry in the region, according to the Inner Mongolia Daily.

The big data industry is currently experiencing a boom in Baotou, with the 2016 Inner Mongolia Big Data Promotion Conference –– which kicked off in Beijing on Nov 7 –– bringing the autonomous region into the limelight. The region has vowed to develop itself into China’s Cloud Valley by developing a big data industry through utilizing its regional advantages and boosting local cloud computing. Baotou also hopes to continue to be a top player in related fields.

Baotou is the first city in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to host a cloud computing center. [Photo/nmgnews.com]

The city is seeing the development of an increasingly information-based local economy, and the local government is committed to developing Baotou into a smart city, through developments in big data and cloud computing. The latest information technologies have been applied in transportation, so that the location and departure times of buses and trains are now provided in real-time, and can be accessed through online platforms.

In September, Baotou was selected as one of the top 50 smart cities in China, the third time that the city has made it to the list, and a result of the efforts it has made in developing a big data industry.

Also, the city has a big data experience center under construction which will come into service next spring. It will be a first-class experience center, demonstrating and publicizing the applications of big data.

Lu Zhi, vice mayor of Baotou, talks about the development of the big data industry in Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, at the 2016 Inner Mongolia Big Data Promotion Conference, Nov 7, 2016. [Photo/Inner Mongolia Daily]