China plans to boost tech’s share; 6G on the way

China strives to boost the digital economy’s share by 2025, driven by the 6G internet and big data technologies.

The ambition emphasizes China’s motivation to advance in new technology. It persists in a rivalry with the U.S. in areas including semiconductors and AI.

China’s top executive body, State Council, commented on the situation in a paper released last week. He said that core industries will account for 11% of its GDP by 2025, up from 7.9% in 2020.

These targets are part of China’s Five-Year Plan that runs from 2021 to 2025. Last year, China emphasized frontier tech areas to boost research. It also aims for self-sufficiency.

How does China imagine 6G to be?

The latest document released by the State Council also gives more specific information about targets for the next few years.

For example, China aims for national online retail sales to grow from 11.77 trillion yuan (2020) to 18 trillion yuan by 2025. It expects the information technology industry to increase from 8.17 trillion yuan (2020) to 15 trillion yuan in 2025.

China anticipates users of gigabit broadband to rise from 6.5 million (2020) to 61 million in 2025.

At the same time, boosting internet connections and speeds is a component of China’s strategy. It aims to increase the digital economy’s share of GDP.

According to the plan, China will encourage commercial deployment and 5G. It relates to the next-generation internet that promises the fastest speeds. It has already started launching in China and some other countries.

At the same time, China’s plan also includes 6G (sixth-generation internet) ambitions. It plans to expand support for 6G research and development and create international standards for 6G. China began laying the bases for work on 6G in 2019, but there are no agreed standards of what 6G is yet.