Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

In the first five months of 2025, China's software and information technology services industry experienced a revenue increase, reaching 5.5788 trillion yuan ($778.2 billion), a year-on-year rise of 11.2 percent, CCTV.com reported, citing data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. 

This growth rate, which surpassed that of the overall economy, underscores the continuous demand for digital transformation. The sector's strong performance not only illustrates the increasingly deep integration of digital technologies across diverse industries but also highlights an important area of economic resilience.

Notably, the sectors of cloud computing and big data services together achieved revenue of 585.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 11.2 percent. Revenue from integrated circuit (IC) design reached 151.6 billion yuan, up 15.2 percent year-on-year. These advanced technology industries managed to achieve double-digit growth despite the intensifying US export controls on high-tech, including semiconductor technologies, against China. This underscores the resilience and potential for growth of China's high-tech industries in the face of US export restrictions.

Over the past four decades, China's software industry has evolved continuously, becoming an important component in the advancement of the digital economy. Economists predict that, over the next five to 10 years, this sector will witness expansive market opportunities, with expectations for the industry to maintain an annual compound growth rate of 12-15 percent. This outlook highlights the software industry's indispensable role in defining the future of the digital landscape.

The development of China's software industry could herald a new wave of economic opportunities. This potential boon can be viewed from two perspectives. Domestically, China is accelerating its pace in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), with a rapid progression in the industrial application of these technologies. Large-scale AI models are driving an upgrade in the software industry, empowering a wide range of sectors. 

The accelerated development of industrial software has become an effective tool in building a modern industrial system, facilitating the optimization of manufacturing management processes, transformation of production models, and enhancement of overall productivity. Innovative technologies like AI and large-scale models are set to deepen their application in cutting-edge industries such as intelligent robotics, driving traditional sectors toward smarter and more digitalized futures.

From an international perspective, China is committed to deepening global cooperation in the IC and software industries, actively creating a favorable environment for foreign enterprises to invest and develop within its borders. The country encourages domestic universities and research institutions to strengthen collaboration with prestigious research organizations worldwide. It also supports international companies in establishing research and development (R&D) centers in China. 

Concurrently, China is promoting its industries to expand globally, facilitating domestic companies in co-establishing R&D centers abroad to better leverage international innovative resources for industrial development. This approach not only enhances China's technological capabilities but also fosters a more interconnected global research and innovation ecosystem.

China's software industry has established a comprehensive and open cooperative development landscape, ensuring that, regardless of changes in the international situation, its doors to open development in the software sector will only widen further. For instance, China plays an active role in the construction of the international open-source ecosystem, standing as a significant contributor.

In the broader digital domain, international cooperation continues to deepen. According to the overseas edition of the People's Daily, China has signed memorandums of understanding with some ASEAN economies to bolster investment cooperation in the digital economy. Leveraging its technological prowess in developing the digital economy, China meets the strong demand and vast market potential of ASEAN countries. 

While China's software industry is rapidly advancing, it still faces challenges. In specific niche areas, there's a discernible gap between Chinese companies and the global forefront. Against this backdrop, the US has sought to curb China's technological progress through export controls. However, a wealth of evidence and data demonstrate that China's software sector, including its burgeoning high-tech industries, is making continuous strides. This progress is generating new opportunities and benefits both domestically and internationally. 

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn