How China overcame US Xinjiang sanctions using 5G, AI, and a cotton revolution
Chinese researchers detail how technology has transformed the region’s textile industry and led to record surge in exports
A “revolutionary shift” in the technology used in Xinjiang’s textile mills has seen a record surge in exports, in defiance of US sanctions that have barred most Western fashion labels from selling any product woven with a strand of the region’s cotton.
Customs records show Xinjiang’s textile exports last year reached 108 billion yuan (US$14.8 billion), with a 74 per cent jump for yarn and other raw materials, and a rise of 30 per cent for clothing.
The 2023 results followed Washington’s sanctions imposed in June the previous year, which largely banned Xinjiang textiles over human rights concerns over the alleged treatment of the region’s largely Muslim Uygur population.
In the same period, Indian and Vietnamese textile exports dipped by 6 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively.
The scientists found that malfunctions, downtime and other vital data and events were recorded manually, while quality assurance also relied on random manual checks because of the high output volumes.
Because of 5G’s swifter speeds compared to conventional wireless technology, it supports more connections and drastically cuts data transmission delays – paving the way for AI to oversee the factory’s entire operation.
The researchers said that in a typical Xinjiang textile factory today, AI was monitoring every spindle rotation to alert operators or maintenance staff to inspect potential problems identified by vast data gathering from sensors.
In cotrast to other countries – where 5G technology is rarely used in factories – mainly because of its high cost, China’s extensive construction of 5G base stations and rapid technological advances have significantly reduced the expense.
The transformation of Xinjiang’s textile industry represents just part of the broader upgrade taking place across the region’s entire industrial landscape.
Automated planting and harvesting have been adopted in nearly all of the region’s cotton fields, while drones are further improving crop quality through pest monitoring and pesticide application, local media has reported.
Despite a gradual decrease in the total area of its cotton fields over the years, Xinjiang’s output has increased as a result of these technological advancements, according to the reports.
Xinjiang, the largest provincial-level administrative region in China, produces more than 90 per cent of China’s cotton, and a quarter more than the entire output of the United States.
The US government alleges that Xinjiang cotton products may involve forced labour and lawmakers are considering a new round of sanctions on popular Chinese fast fashion retailers.
Also in April, the Chinese government initiated the latest round in its nationwide effort to modernise manufacturing.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, projections indicate that by the end of next year, 70 per cent of China’s textile factories will have achieved digital connectivity and completed the AI transformation.
