Jiangsu province Party chief Li Qiang addresses the opening ceremony of the World Internet of Things (WIOT) Exposition in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Sept 10.

And just like purer oil or higher voltage electricity, the quality of data is important in powering big data networks and intelligent systems. "IoT is more than just data – it is about the making data more intelligent," Ma said.

The biggest network powered by data is that of the internet, something Ma claimed is relatively free and free of location. As a result, Ma said there would be no more "Made in China" or "Made in USA", instead there would only a "Made on the Internet".

In a more conciliatory tone, the tech entrepreneur gave hope to those that speculate that machines will encroach too far on our lives, taking over industry and even art. "Machines can do anything, even write calligraphy," Ma said. "But no matter how good a machine is there will always be more value placed on human effort – I still prefer to write calligraphy by hand myself."

Speaking earlier at the summit, Li Qiang, Jiangsu Party chief, compared the rise of IoT to a new Warring States period (475-221 BC).

Li said that the East Jiangsu province city of Wuxi, home to the WIOT for the past two years, is following in the footsteps of Beijing, Hangzhou and Shenzhen in terms of the development of its technology-based industries.

"Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real," Li said, quoting a line from renowned science fiction author Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. 

The WIOT runs until Sept 13.