How Xizang's digital transformation boosts lives and power industry

Technology is transforming life in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, widely known as the "Roof of the World."

From digital infrastructure to the smart modernization of its signature industries, innovation is weaving seamlessly into Xizang's social and economic landscape.

Bridging distances

Since the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the region's information and communication sector has prioritized improving supply capabilities and service quality.

By November 2025, it had deployed 72,000 mobile base stations, with over 280,000 rural households connected to broadband.

More than 94% of administrative villages are now covered by 5G networks, helping Lhasa City become a "Gigabit City" and a 5G-Advanced pilot zone.

The robust digital infrastructure has broken geographic barriers, enabling a wider range of high-quality public services.

In September 2025, Nagqu People's Hospital successfully performed the world's first 5G-enabled robotic urological surgery at an altitude above 4,500 meters. The operation was carried out by local medical teams in collaboration with their counterparts in Dalian, northeast China, who remotely controlled the robotic arm. Such operations help patients receive cutting-edge treatment without having to leave their hometown.

Experts hailed it as a major breakthrough in remote surgical technology, demonstrating that even in extreme environments, advanced tech can facilitate the equitable distribution of medical resources.

In Ngari Prefecture, a digital AI smart medical consortium has allowed the health center in Baga Township to connect with specialists in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, via 5G, transforming a three-hour journey into an instant "face-to-face" diagnosis.

By precisely extending medical resources to local communities, digital technology is overcoming the challenges posed by sparse population and uneven resource distribution, realizing the vision of "minor illnesses treated locally while major illnesses treated within the county."

Education is being transformed through various programs. The Beijing-Xizang "dual-teacher classroom" program, for example, allows students in Lhasa to attend lessons live from Beijing, combining remote instruction with local classroom guidance. Meanwhile, the Xizang Education Zhufeng Qiyun platform spans the entire region, covering early childhood, primary, secondary, vocational, higher and continuing education. It offers an open-access system that allows anyone to learn anytime, anywhere.

Beyond healthcare and education, 5G network has also been applied in the region's other sectors, including mining, market supervision and energy management.

Traditional industries' smart transformation

Technological innovation is also fueling growth in Xizang's distinctive industries, promoting green development and new business models.

Recognized as the hometown of highland barley, Gyantse County in Xigaze City has the world's first barley-processing production line. Barley grains undergo 12 intelligent processes, from precise germination control to low-temperature drying and ultra-fine milling, producing refined barley flour and pre-mixed baking powders. With an annual capacity of 13,000 tonnes of refined flour and 26,000 tonnes of pre-mixes, the facility is projected to generate over 300 million yuan (about $44.2 million) annually.

In a traditional brewing workshop in Qamdo Prefecture, automated fermentation systems simulate ideal conditions, overcoming low-pressure fermentation challenges. The facility can process 1,500 fermentation bricks per hour, with an annual output of 1,500 tonnes. It purchases 6,000 tonnes of local barley and generates over 20 million yuan in additional income for farmers. Innovations such as deeper fermentation pits and planned photovoltaic temperature-control systems are set to ensure stable year-round production.

Digital platforms are also enhancing local livestock management and traditional medicine production in the region, enabling precise livestock monitoring, health tracking and standardized traditional processes that boost competitiveness in the marketplace.

AI-empowered efficiency and transparency

Xizang's digital transformation extends to governance, where technology is improving efficiency, transparency, and citizen engagement.

In Lhasa, AI-powered administrative systems automate approvals, integrate facial recognition, and validate documents in real time. Citizens can submit applications online and complete routine procedures with minimal human intervention, while complex cases will be flagged for human review, all with full digital recordkeeping.

Since deployment, the "AI + Public Services" model has served over 7,342 businesses, significantly easing administrative burdens, shortening approval times, reducing costs and setting a replicable example of intelligent governance.

Through the combination of digital infrastructure, intelligent industry and smart governance, Xizang is constructing a unique highland model of modern development, laying a solid foundation for sustainable, high-quality growth.

Read more: High-altitude breakthroughs: How Xizang is building a clean energy future on the roof of the world