The government of China is reportedly turning its attention to the development of 6G technology across the next five years.
State-owned newspaper China Daily reported that the government plans to push 6G R&D between now and 2025 as a pillar of its broader “digital China” strategy, which aims to stimulate the economy via technology.
In a briefing, Yang Xiaowei - deputy head of China’s Cyberspace Administration – said that China would seek to strengthen its systems and standards “to accommodate data flow, cross-border data transmission and data security protection” so as to better capitalise on the digital economy.
Yang added that in addition to speeding up R&D of 6G technology in collaboration with industry experts, China would build out a large-scale 5G network and strengthen its focus on IPv6. Further details on 6G development were not revealed and no launch date was mooted; among industry stakeholders, the widely accepted belief is that 6G will not make its debut until 2030 at the earliest.
The announcement follows initiatives by companies and organisations in the US and Europe. Last year, operators in the US backed the Next G Alliance to help establish and develop 6G technology, while in Europe several major operators have joined another 6G research project. Not to be left behind, in November 2020 China claimed to have launched the industry’s first 6G experimental satellite.
