PARTNER CONTENT: Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable (YOFC) president Dan Zhuang used his keynote at MWC Shanghai 2025 to launch its AI-2030 strategy, outlining the goal to become a global leader in AI-driven optical infrastructure by accelerating the industrialisation of advanced technologies.
Speaking on the topic of Soar Toward Light with Innovation, Zhuang noted its new strategy aims to drive the evolution and upgrade of AI-enabled optical connectivity infrastructure, while partnering with global organisations to promote a new era of intelligent and sustainable development.
The plan underscores YOFC’s response to the evolving demands of the AI era and reaffirms its commitment to enabling sustainable growth within the global communications landscape, he added.
AI technology is driving a new wave of industrial transformation around the world, the CEO stated, noting at “the heart of this shift is the deep integration of optical fibre networks with AI technologies”, which is reshaping the future of connectivity.
The strategy comprises four pillars: technological innovation in broadband connectivity, ecosystem collaboration, global market expansion and sustainable development practices.
Innovation at the core
Zhuang insisted innovation and ecosystem collaboration are paramount. “Innovation is key for our company,” he said in his keynote. As part of its AI-2030 strategy, he said from a product perspective “we really want to do things better and better to adapt to the AI era, innovating across our entire optical connectivity portfolio.”
YOFC last year invested CNY787 million ($110 million) in R&D, accounting for 6.5 per cent of revenue.
It works with upstream and downstream partners across the industry value chain to promote pilot projects and commercial applications of new products in emerging use cases, including multi-core, hollow-core and in-vehicle optical fibre.
He said it is strengthening collaboration with research institutes and academic partners to jointly address key technologies and accelerate the translation of innovations into real-world solutions, ranging from next-generation optical fibre to communication components to evolving network architectures.
“We work together with many national level research organisations,” he said.
The company also promotes the establishment of standards for new technologies and products.
The company is looking to broaden its global market beyond its wide domestic footprint as well as explore new application areas.
After 11 years of international expansion, YOFC has set up eight production facilities in six countries and built more than 20 overseas platforms. Zhuang noted it is deepening collaboration with global operators to support the rollout of large-scale AI networks as well as the trial and commercial application of new technologies and products.
Wide portfolio
Its overall optical connection portfolio covers transoceanic transmission, including large-capacity, ultra-high-speed submarine cable; backbone and MAN transmission; interconnection of MAN and intelligent computing centres (multi-core fibre); internal interconnection of intelligent computing centres; and next-generation ultra-high-speed interconnection (hollow-core fibre).
YOFC was founded in 1988 as a joint venture between the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Wuhan city and Netherlands-based Philips. It employs more than 9,800 staff.
Over the past 37 years, it has produced and delivered more than 1.1 billion km of fibre, serving more than 3 billion people and helping raise the global fibre broadband penetration rate to 47.3 per cent.
In countries with less-developed infrastructure, such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Peru, the company is participating in the construction of local optical fibre networks, supporting connect communities and extending the benefits of digital intelligence to more people.
Across the world, Zhuang said a third of the population does not have access to the internet. “We want to see the populations in underdeveloped areas benefit. We are committed to eliminating the digital gap and sharing a better life by enabling AI in these regions.”
In terms of its sustainability goals, the company is working to enhance its social responsibility efforts, build a more sustainable supply chain, actively respond to climate change and embrace green management practices, Zhuang stated.
By advancing its green management activities and exploring circular economic models, YOFC increased energy utilisation by 40 per cent, improved production efficiency by 20 per cent and reduced operating costs by 20 per cent.
Looking forward, driven by its mission of Smart Link, Better Life, YOFC will “deepen collaboration with partners around the world to empower a digitally intelligent future – further accelerating the momentum of global digital transformation,” he concluded.