China Pledges to Advance the Research and Development of 6G Network

China has pledged to advance the research and development of the 6G network and the construction of its booming 5G network, in order to expand its application across various industries. Officials and experts at the 6th Digital China Summit in Fuzhou made these pronouncements.

As of March, the country’s number of 5G base stations had exceeded 2.64 million, making it the world’s largest network, said Zhao Ce, deputy head of the Information and telecommunications development department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Zhao added that China has also established a flagship platform promoting 6G and international cooperation.

Experts at the summit said 5G technology was a critical foundation supporting the development of AI, big data, and cloud computing, and they called for more exploration of application scenarios to empower traditional industries.

Meanwhile, officials also recognized the growing cybersecurity risks that accompanied the rapid development of 5G, with one cybersecurity executive pledging to strengthen cooperation with the country’s major telecom carriers.

Cui Chunfeng, president of the future research institute of the China Mobile Research Institute, explained that although 6G research is still at a preliminary stage, the next-generation mobile communication technology is predicted to provide faster speeds, lower latency, and more bandwidth than 5G.

Cui added that the 6G network will realize the deep integration of physical and virtual worlds and build a new world featuring the intelligent connection of everything. China recently unveiled its plan for the overall layout of the country’s digital development, aiming to make significant progress in the construction of a digital China by 2025.

At the summit, experts also discussed the importance of developing 5G and 6G technologies in the context of global competition. Zhang Yunyong, director of the Institute of Industrial Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, emphasized the need for China to continue to innovate and improve its digital infrastructure to maintain its position as a leader in the digital economy.

“China’s digital economy has maintained rapid growth in recent years and has become an important engine of economic development,” Zhang said. “In order to enhance the competitiveness of the digital economy, it is necessary to continue to promote innovation in digital technology and build a high-quality digital infrastructure.”

The 6th Digital China Summit also highlighted the role of digital technology in promoting sustainable development and reducing carbon emissions. Chen Zhaoxiong, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that the use of digital technology can help reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in industries such as manufacturing, transportation, and construction.

“Digital technology has become an important driving force for green development,” Chen said. “We will actively promote the application of digital technology in energy conservation and emission reduction, and strive to promote the high-quality development of the digital economy and the green development of the economy.”

As China continues to invest in 5G and research 6G, the country aims to further expand the use of digital technology across various industries and promote sustainable development. The 6th Digital China Summit provided a platform for officials and experts to discuss strategies and priorities for achieving these goals.