China targets brain computer interface race with new standard — groundwork could lead to breakthroughs as soon as 2027

China appears to be moving fast to establish itself as a brain computer interface (BCI) leader. The nation's latest advance is the release of a medical device industry standard, the ‘Medical Device Terminology Using Brain-Computer Interface Technology,’ reports IT Home (machine translation).

While many BCI headlines revolve around the Elon Musk-backed Neuralink system, increasingly, we are seeing breakthrough advances from China. Earlier this year, we reported on a tetraplegic patient skillfully playing racing games, and another subject enjoying complex PC games such as Black Myth: Wukong and Honor of Kings.

For a while now, China has let it be known that it will try to coordinate its broad range of BCI research and development talents and commercial enterprises for the benefit of its industry on a wider scale. Earlier this month, we reported on a significant milestone towards this goal, with a state-backed blitz coordinating ministries, planners, and regulatory bodies, and laying out 17 steps from R&D to commercialization.

Returning to our headline news, and another piece of the jigsaw puzzle has been slotted into place. According to the source, China’s equivalent of the FDA will implement the new BCI standard from January 1, 2026.

An excerpt from the official release shows that the new standard, number YY/T 1987 – 2025, concerns “Medical devices using brain computer interface technology.” As with computing, setting a standard in any field can be a vital advantage to early adopters in the market. Standards setters can earn a range of advantages, and widespread use and adoption of useful early standards can establish an entity (company, country) as a clear leader.

The long walk from 'what if' to 'what is'

There’s still a way to go, from planning to execution of this broad strategy. And, of course, the acceptance of China-established standards outside the country. However, should everything fall into place, China predicts most technical hurdles to be cleared by 2027. Moreover, it expects to incubate two to three leading BCI enterprises with global reach by 2030.

In the real world, we know there can be a technological or performance gulf between China's claims and China's results. So it seems healthy to throw a year or two onto the stated projections to account for that, and the typical extra distance between inspiration and implementation. Having healthy BCI competition from China could make such devices more accessible to patients in the rest of the world.

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