China Targets 80 Brain Tech Standards by 2030 to Rival Neuralink

China will draft or revise more than 40 brain-computer interface standards by 2028, according to draft guidelines issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The roadmap aims to expand that framework to over 80 standards by 2030, pushing at least 100 domestic companies to adopt uniform technical rules for medical, industrial and consumer hardware.

Under the ministry plan, Beijing also wants to lead or join the creation of more than 10 international standards. The directive aligns with China’s 15th five-year plan, which designates neural interface technology as one of six priority industries of the future.

Domestic hardware and commercial trials

Brain-computer systems decode electrical signals from the brain to control external devices directly. In China, several startups have progressed beyond laboratory testing into working hardware. Neuracle secured regulatory clearance for an implant that restores hand movement in paralysed patients, while BrainCo produces non-invasive headbands and brain-guided prosthetic limbs.

Other domestic players, including StairMed and NeuroXess, develop invasive signal recording arrays and neural decoding software. These developers compete against Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which leads global headlines in commercial neural trials.

Setting global rules for neural devices

Drafting domestic standards early allows Chinese hardware makers to establish component specifications before foreign competitors dominate international supply chains. While American ventures focus predominantly on surgical clinical implants, Chinese developers are dividing capital between medical therapies and high-volume consumer gadgets.

Regulators will now collect industry feedback on the MIIT draft, with the initial batch of 40 national standards scheduled for completion by 2028.