China is positioning brain-computer interface (BCI) technology as a key strategic sector, with public use expected within three to five years, according to Yao Dezhong, Director of the Sichuan Institute of Brain Science. The move comes as Beijing seeks to compete with U.S. startups like Elon Musk’s Neuralink.

Strategic Priority

In its new five-year plan, China listed BCIs alongside advanced technologies such as quantum computing, embodied AI, 6G, and nuclear fusion. Last year, the government released a national BCI development strategy aiming for major technical breakthroughs by 2027 and to cultivate two to three world-class BCI firms by 2030.

Ongoing Trials

China is the second country to launch invasive BCI human trials, with over 10 trials active—matching the U.S.—and plans to enroll more than 50 patients nationwide this year. High-profile trials have helped paralyzed patients and amputees regain partial mobility and operate robotic hands or intelligent wheelchairs.

Some BCI treatments are already integrated into national medical insurance in pilot provinces, with the domestic market projected to reach 5.58 billion yuan ($809 million) by 2027, according to CCID Consulting.

Advantages and Approach

Yao highlighted China’s advantages in BCIs, including a large population, high patient demand, cost-effective industrial chain, and abundant STEM talent. Chinese researchers are developing invasive, semi-invasive, and non-invasive BCIs, targeting broader clinical applications compared to the U.S., where Neuralink focuses on fully invasive chips.

Semi-invasive BCIs, placed on the brain’s surface, offer reduced surgical risks while slightly compromising signal quality. Neuralink’s surgical robot can insert hundreds of electrodes in minutes, a technical benchmark China is quickly approaching.

"China is actually making very fast progress in this area now. In fact, Musk’s direction is basically achievable domestically," Yao said.

Path Forward

Policies including insurance integration and national standards aim to bridge the gap between research, industry, and clinical applications. Many hospitals have established BCI research labs to accelerate the transition from experimental trials to clinical practice, but challenges remain due to the long development timeline from lab to real-world use.

China’s push underscores the country’s ambition to become a global leader in neurotechnology, with practical BCI products expected to reach the public within the next three to five years.