China will accelerate the construction and application of 5G technology, and promote the research and development of 6G, said Jin Zhuanglong, minister of industry and information technology.

"Currently, China is at the global forefront of 5G development. The country has built more than 2.54 million 5G base stations, with the number of 5G smartphone users surpassing 575 million," Jin said, adding China will build 600,000 5G base stations this year. 

Jin made the remarks on the sidelines of this year's two sessions. Noting 5G has been used in more than half of the major industrial sectors, including mining, ports, electricity and aircraft, Jin called for efforts to expand application of the superfast wireless technology in more fields such as manufacturing.

He said the country will establish over 10,000 5G-empowered factories during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, as part of broader drive to bolster the application of 5G technology in industrial internet. 

China has already set up the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group, the flagship platform in China promoting 6G and international cooperation, and will speed up the R&D of 6G technology, he added.