(Yicai Global) June 5 -- China will speed up the construction of virtual private networks to extend the application of fifth-generation technology, and promote the research and development of 6G, according to the minister for industry and information technology.

China will further implement its 5G Set Sail action plan to promote the technology’s application, Jin Zhuanglong said at the opening ceremony of the 31st PT Expo China in Beijing yesterday. By improving the technical, standards, and application systems of the industrial internet, the country is building a number of 5G factories to realize the manufacturing industry's smart, green, and integrated transformation, he added.

There were some 2.7 million 5G base stations in China at the end of April, accounting for 25 percent of mobile base stations, data from the expo showed. The number of 5G subscribers at the country’s three major telecoms operators -- China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom -- jumped by 73.1 million to 634 million at the end of last year from 2021, accounting for 37 percent of total subscribers, up 3.8 percentage points. China has also built 16,000 5G VPNs. 

5G technology has been applied in various industries, including medical care, education, and transportation. The use of 5G in mining, power supply, smart ports, and other fields has started to be replicated and promoted from pilot projects to whole sectors, not only driving the digital transformation and development of China's industries but also helping the telecom carriers quickly grow revenue at their digital businesses.

About 400 well-known local and foreign companies took part in this year’s PT Expo China. 

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev