The following Chinese industrial policy is designed to spur the development of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, which allows humans to control or transmit information to computers or other devices directly with their brains. The policy anticipates and encourages applications of BCI technology in areas such as medical treatment, wearable displays, and surveillance in the coming years.

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Implementation Opinions of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, the National Health Commission, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National Medical Products Administration on Promoting the Innovative Development of the Brain-Computer Interface Industry

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (2025) Document No. 164

To the industry and information technology, development and reform, education, health, state-owned assets, and medical products authorities of all provinces, autonomous regions, province-level municipalities, cities with independent planning status under the national economic and social development plan,¹ and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; all subordinate entities of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); relevant central enterprises;² and all relevant entities:

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) establish an information channel between the brain and machines to realize coordinated interaction between biological intelligence and machine intelligence. They are a cutting-edge technology arising from the integrated development of life sciences and information sciences. At present, innovative achievements in BCIs continue to emerge, the industry is rapidly growing, and disruptive breakthroughs are taking shape. BCIs have already become an important area for the in-depth integration of scientific and technological (S&T) innovation and industrial innovation. To seize the opportunities presented by a new round of S&T revolution and industrial transformation, promote high-quality development of the BCI industry, accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces (新质生产力), empower new-style industrialization (新型工业化) at a high level, and effectively support the building of a modernized industrial system, these Implementation Opinions are hereby formulated.

I. Overall Thinking

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implementing the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and the Second and Third Plenums of the 20th Central Committee, we will root ourselves in the new stage of development (新发展阶段), implement the new concept of development (新发展理念), promote the building of the new pattern of development (新发展格局), and do overall planning for development and security. With enhancing innovation capacity in the BCI industry as the main focus, driven by the integrated development of life sciences and information sciences, and guided by the expansion of application scenarios, we will take the development of high-performance complete-machine (整机) BCI products as the key lever, strengthen forward-looking planning and policy guidance, and accelerate the cultivation and formation of new tracks for future industries.

By 2027, we will have achieved breakthroughs in key BCI technologies, and an advanced technological, industrial, and standards system will have been preliminarily established. The performance of electrodes, chips, and complete machines will reach internationally advanced levels, and BCI products will see accelerated adoption in industrial manufacturing, medical and health services, and lifestyle and consumer goods. The industry will continue to expand in scale, establishing two to three industrial development cluster zones and developing a batch of new scenarios, new models, and new business formats (新业态).

By 2030, the innovation capacity of the BCI industry will be significantly enhanced, forming a safe, secure,³ and reliable industrial system. Two to three globally influential leading enterprises and a group of professional, precision, specialized, and innovative (专精特新) small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be cultivated, building an internationally competitive industrial ecosystem and bringing China’s comprehensive strength to the forefront of global rankings.

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1. Translator’s note: The five Chinese “cities with independent planning status under the national economic and social development plan” (国家社会与经济发展计划单列市; 计划单列市) are Dalian, Qingdao, Ningbo, Xiamen, and Shenzhen.
2. Translator’s note: The term “central enterprises” (中央企业; 央企) refers to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) directly under the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China (aka the State Council) whose leaders are appointed by the State Council or the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee, either directly or by the CCP Central Organization Department, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), or another central Party or government department.
3. Translator’s note: The Chinese word 安全 encompasses the meanings of both “safety” (protection from accidental harm) and “security” (protection from deliberate harm). In this translation, it is variously translated as “safety,” “security,” or “safety and security” at the translator’s discretion.