Alibaba, Tencent, and Huawei are pouring billions into data centers in Shaoguan, a hinterland region with cheap power and a cool climate, angering some locals
THE SO WHAT
China’s hyperscalers are chasing cheap power and cooling into hinterland regions, turning places like Shaoguan into AI company towns—with local backlash as a real constraint. If your AI infra strategy depends on rural buildouts, factor in community, water, and land-use politics alongside megawatts and latency.
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