China now boasts 9.4 million software developers, accounting for a third of the world’s total, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. That’s like the entire population of Switzerland coding away!
Li Xiaodong, Vice President of the Internet Society of China, says this massive talent pool is fueling the country’s digital economy: “Our developers are punching above their weight globally—this isn’t just numbers, it’s innovation at scale.”
And here’s the kicker: 17% of all open-source projects worldwide now come from China, making it the #2 contributor. Open-source software (think free-to-use code anyone can tweak) powers everything from your phone’s OS to AI tools.
Meet HarmonyOS, China’s open-source operating system for smart devices. Since its 2019 launch, it’s hit 1 billion+ devices, with over 8,100 contributors. “We’re growing faster than any country in open-source participation,” says MIIT’s Xie Shaofeng.
What’s next? Li predicts China’s tech influence will keep rising as its developers align with global internet trends. Translation: More innovation, more collabs, more apps you’ll probably love.
