There were more than 3.8 million 5G base stations in China by the end of May 2024, the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has shown.

Zhao Zhiguo, the ministry's chief engineer, announced the number at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), which opened on Wednesday in Shanghai. China's 5G base stations account for 60 percent of the global total, Zhao added.

In China, more than half of all mobile phone users are 5G users, Zhao told MWC Shanghai.

GSMA, an international operator association, has forecast that China's number of 5G connections will hit 1.6 billion by the end of 2030 -- nearly a third of the global total.

GSMA CEO John Hoffman said that China is at the forefront of the world in the field of mobile communication and has undertaken significant innovative exploration.

China has provided experience in 5G+ vertical industries, such as intelligent manufacturing, transportation and medical treatment, according to the CEO.