Nation leads race for data-driven societies

China is striving to gain a lead in the global race toward building an intelligent and data-driven society, as the country has the highest number of smart city pilot projects in the world.

The world's second-largest economy has more than 500 smart city pilot projects ready or under construction, accounting for about half of the world's total, consulting company Deloitte said in a recent report.

The number is far higher than that of second-placed Europe, which has about 90 such projects under way or planned, the report said.