ANTALYA: China has globally launched its artificial intelligence-powered Mazu meteorological early warning system at the COP31 High-Level Forum on South-South Cooperation on Climate Change in Antalya, Türkiye.
The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) announced the launch on Thursday, introducing the Mazu all-in-one box, a compact technology designed to strengthen weather forecasting and disaster preparedness, particularly in developing countries.
Mazu, an abbreviation for Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap and Universal, is an AI-driven platform named after the Chinese goddess of the sea. Its all-in-one box combines hardware and software, integrating data storage, intelligent computing, networking and display functions.
The system supports Ethernet, 5G and satellite communications, offering weather nowcasting, operational monitoring, data visualisation and AI-assisted services. It can operate independently at local sites or connect to cloud-based resources and existing meteorological systems.
According to the CMA, the technology is designed to help countries process local weather observation data and strengthen their early warning capabilities through flexible, locally adapted solutions.
Nepal is among the countries receiving China’s Mazu technology. China delivered a customised version of the AI-powered meteorological early warning system to Nepal on September 22 to support weather forecasting and disaster response.
The delivery followed an earlier cloud-based trial provided to Nepal’s meteorological department on August 29, after a deadly mudslide at the Gyirong-Rasuwa border crossing along the Nepal-China border.
China also handed over a Mazu all-in-one box to Sri Lanka on November 1. The system is expected to become operational there by the end of 2026, with specialised modules for aviation, maritime and other sectors.
The CMA said that by October 2026, the Mazu solution had been deployed in eight countries, including Pakistan, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka, while cloud-based trials had been conducted in more than 50 countries.
The initiative is part of China’s efforts to expand international cooperation in climate services and help developing countries improve their capacity to prepare for and respond to weather-related disasters.
