The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has announced that the planning and construction of a next-generation communication network will be a key focus for advancing the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. This initiative was highlighted during a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.
An official spokesperson from MIIT provided an update on the industry's progress. By the end of June, the number of 5G base stations in China had reached 5.102 million. Furthermore, the ministry has granted approval for the use of the 6GHz frequency band for 6G trials and is accelerating the second phase of 6G technology testing.
The spokesperson outlined the positive momentum in the ICT industry during the first half of the year, characterized by four areas of steady improvement. Infrastructure support capabilities have been enhanced, with 10G-PON ports capable of providing gigabit network services reaching 32.86 million. Commercial deployment of 5G-Advanced networks is progressing, and 10-gigabit optical networks are being piloted in various settings. The scale of intelligent computing power in China has surged to 2,185 EFLOPS, marking a year-on-year increase of 177%.
The effectiveness of integrated applications is also on the rise. ICT is deeply empowering the real economy, with over 80,000 5G virtual private networks established for industrial use. Applications of 5G and gigabit optical networks have been integrated into 94 major categories of the national economy, and there are more than 26,000 ongoing "5G + Industrial Internet" projects nationwide, alongside 1,260 distinctive 5G-enabled factories.
Industrial innovation capabilities are strengthening. The variety of 5G-based intelligent terminals is expanding, with products like AI-powered smartphones, computers, robots, smart glasses, and AI toys becoming new hotspots in information consumption. The approval for 6G trial frequencies and the acceleration of related tests underscore this trend.
The level of open development has improved as well. Pilot programs to further open up value-added telecommunications services to foreign investment have yielded significant results. To date, the cumulative number of foreign-invested telecommunications enterprises has reached 3,219, a 23.9% increase compared to the same period last year.
The spokesperson elaborated on the concept of the next-generation communication network, explaining its novel aspects. It extends connectivity from traditional individual users to a diverse range of entities including humans, machines, objects, and embodied intelligence. Its coverage will expand beyond traditional terrestrial limits to achieve integrated air-space-ground-sea connectivity. The network's capabilities will see substantial improvements in determinism and stability to better meet the diverse needs of industrial applications. Finally, its functions will evolve from mere information transmission to a deep integration of communication, sensing, computing, intelligence, and security. This represents a fundamental upgrade of digital information infrastructure for the intelligent era.
Moving forward, MIIT will prioritize the planning and construction of this next-generation network as a key driver for the ICT sector's development. Efforts will focus on three main areas. First, advancing network deployment by coordinating the construction of foundational, spatial, international, and converged networks, promoting the commercial scale-up of 5G-A and 10-gigabit optical networks, increasing international submarine cable routes, and accelerating new industrial network construction to build an infrastructure system suited for the intelligent economy and society.
Second, strengthening industrial support and empowerment. This involves enhancing core technological innovation and research in areas like 6G mobile communication, ultra-high-speed optical communication, submarine cables, and satellite communication, accelerating product development to support high-quality network deployment. The central role of enterprises in technological innovation will be emphasized, leveraging industrial platforms, research institutes, and industry associations to achieve efficient synergy between the innovation and industrial chains.
Third, promoting application innovation and adoption. This includes deepening the application of 5G and gigabit optical networks in key industries and creating new application scenarios and models. It also involves fostering the integrated development of technologies like brain-computer interfaces, embodied intelligence, and intelligent connected vehicles with 5G-A/6G and satellite internet. The next-generation network will serve as a digital foundation, collaboratively enabling innovative applications in water networks, new power grids, computing power networks, urban underground pipe networks, and logistics networks.