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China to systematically build next-gen communication network with moderate advance planning during 15th Five-Year Plan
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According to a report from China's International Information and Communication Exhibition, during the '15th Five-Year Plan' period (2026-2030), China will strategically advance the construction of a new-generation communication network with a moderately forward-looking and systematic approach. The recently released 'Information and Communication Industry Development 15th Five-Year Plan' sets targets for 2030: 95% 5G user penetration, 320 million gigabit-plus broadband users, and intelligent computing power reaching 980 zettaflops. Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Vice Minister Yu Xiaohui stated that the construction should be application-driven, moderately advanced, and systematic, promoting the evolution of broadband networks to dual 10-gigabit, advancing low-orbit satellite internet system construction, optimizing international sea-land network layouts, and expanding computing power facilities. The plan also includes integrating satellite networks with terrestrial communications, developing applications like direct satellite-to-phone connectivity and satellite IoT, developing 6G base stations, and strengthening standards systems for computing power networks and quantum communications. As of July 2025, China had 5.154 million 5G base stations and intelligent computing power of 218.5 zettaflops.
Source report
Reporters learned today at the China International Information and Communication Exhibition that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period (2026–2030), China will seize the strategic opportunity for next-generation communication network construction, advancing the development of new communication networks in a moderately forward-looking and systematic manner.
Key Targets for 2030
The recently released "15th Five-Year Plan" for the Development of the Information and Communication Industry sets the following goals by 2030:
- Fully establish a next-generation communication network with comprehensive coverage and leading performance
- Achieve a 5G user penetration rate of 95%
- Reach 320 million gigabit-and-above broadband users
- Attain an intelligent computing power scale of 980 exaflops (980 billion billion floating-point operations per second)
These targets aim to lay a solid foundation for the basic modernization of the information and communication industry by 2035.
Official Remarks on Strategic Direction
Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Yu Xiaohui, emphasized the need to:
- Adhere to an application-driven, moderately forward-looking, and systematic approach in building next-generation communication networks
- Advance broadband networks toward dual 10-gigabit evolution
- Promote the construction of low-orbit satellite internet systems
- Optimize the layout of international terrestrial and submarine networks
- Expand and improve computing power infrastructure
- Strengthen computing-network collaboration and computing power interconnection to better support the integrated computing power network
Opportunities from AI and Digital Intelligence
According to officials, digital intelligence technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are accelerating breakthroughs, bringing significant opportunities for the development of information and communication.
Current Progress (as of end of July 2025)
- 5G base stations: 5.154 million nationwide
- 10-gigabit optical networks: Deployed on a moderate scale
- Intelligent computing power: Reached 2185 exaflops
Future Plans Under the "15th Five-Year Plan"
The plan outlines the following key initiatives:
- Promote deep integration of satellite networks with terrestrial communication networks
- Develop applications such as direct satellite-to-phone connectivity and satellite IoT
- Develop 6G base stations
- Strengthen the construction of standards systems in key areas of information and communication, including computing power networks and quantum communication
Source
央视新闻客户端Eastern
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China unveils 15th Five-Year Plan to build next-gen communication networks by 2030