China ramps up 6G push with ambitious innovation program
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Thursday launched a joint ministry-provincial collaborative pilot program for 6G innovation and development, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
The initiative is intended to provide strong support for the future commercial rollout of 6G.
Key priorities of the program include advancing frontier 6G technologies, deepening integration of communications with artificial intelligence, satellite internet, and wireless sensing, as well as accelerating research and development on 6G base stations, core network equipment, terminals, chips, and operating systems.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Pilot regions will explore 6G use cases tailored to local conditions, with a focus on sectors such as immersive communications, industrial manufacturing, the low-altitude economy, embodied intelligence, and smart maritime operations.
MIIT said it will closely monitor 6G development progress and adjust pilot plans as needed. The ministry also plans to organise technology trials through the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group and prioritise hosting major 6G industry conferences in designated pilot regions.
The move comes as China seeks to build on its strengths in next-generation communications. The country is currently a global leader in 5G development, operating the world’s largest 5G network infrastructure, with millions of base stations deployed nationwide and a dominant share of global 5G connections.
Compared with 5G, 6G is expected to deliver performance improvements of 10 to 100 times in transmission speed, latency, and reliability. Its coverage is expected to extend seamlessly across aerial, space, ground, and maritime domains, forming a highly integrated global network. It is also expected to act as a core infrastructure driving the digital transformation of future intelligent societies and industries.
China approved trial spectrum in the 6GHz band for 6G technology development in early May, according to the ministry.
The approval, granted to the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group, authorises 6G technology trials in selected regions. It is aimed at advancing technical research, testing, and validation based on key scenarios and performance indicators defined by the International Telecommunication Union for 6G.
The IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group, established in June 2019 by MIIT, serves as a key platform bringing together China’s industry, academic, and research sectors. It promotes domestic 6G mobile communication research and fosters international exchanges and cooperation.
By Nijat Babayev
Similar news
