National Business Daily:

In recent years, the rapid development of the information and communication technology has significantly improved the quality of life of the general public. May I ask about the progress made by the MIIT in promoting the development of the information and communication industry in the first quarter? What are the key areas of focus for the next steps? Thank you.

Zhao Zhiguo:

Thank you for your questions. The MIIT has fully implemented the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. Adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, the MIIT has been promoting the high-quality development of the information and communication industry and has achieved positive results. In the first quarter, the revenue from the telecommunications sector reached 443.7 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 4.5%, maintaining steady growth overall and laying a solid foundation for the year's work. There are several aspects to highlight:

We have persisted in developing appropriately future-oriented infrastructure. As of the end of March, the cumulative number of 5G base stations built nationwide reached 3.647 million. 5G penetration rate has exceeded 60%, and the number of ports with gigabit network service capability reached 24.56 million. The world's first 400G all-optical interprovincial backbone network officially became commercially available. As we all know, 400G currently represents the fastest and highest transmission speed globally. We have now established and commercially utilized a 400G network, thereby better supporting efficient interconnectivity of computing power and data across different entities, types, and regions.

We have accelerated efforts to make innovative breakthroughs and acted as leaders in the technological industry. Breakthroughs were made at a faster pace in key technologies. The commercial verification of 5G lightweight (RedCap) technology on high, medium, and low-frequency bands was completed. The performance indicators of quantum computing prototypes continued to improve, and breakthroughs were achieved in quantum error correction testing. The industrial strength has been steadily enhanced. In the first quarter, the shipment of 5G mobile phones in our country, reached 56.43 million units, accounting for 83.7% of the total mobile phone shipments during the same period. It can be said that this reflects a significant demand for high-end or smart 5G phones, reaching a share of 83.7%.

We have deepened application empowerment and promoted integrating digital technology into the real economy. In terms of industrial application, 5G technologies have been integrated into 74 out of 97 major categories of the national economy. They have been extensively applied in key sectors such as industry, mining, power, and healthcare. The "5G+ industrial internet" projects exceeded 10,000, and application empowerment has accelerated its expansion into core and control links. Previously, these technologies were primarily applied in peripheral links, but now they are gradually accelerating their expansion into control or core links. In terms of personal application, generative AI has also been widely promoted and adopted in applications such as chatbots, intelligent search, and text generation. In the first quarter, mobile internet traffic increased by 14.3% compared to the same period last year.

We have stepped up efforts to ensure inclusive development that deliver benefits to all and guarantee public services. Telecommunication services have steadily advanced, and by the end of last year, the internet penetration rate in rural areas of our country reached 66%, narrowing the urban-rural gap. Age-friendly products and services have become more accessible, with new application scenarios such as 5G video customer support and payment verification by drawing a pattern continuously emerging and gradually being implemented. Efforts to safeguard people's wellbeing have been continuously intensified. Centering on improving work conduct and rectifying misconduct, we have made every effort to protect users' legitimate rights and interests. In the first quarter, we intercepted a total of one billion scam phone calls and text messages.

Going forward, the MIIT will prioritize high-quality development to consolidate and enhance its competitive advantages and leading position in the information and communication sector. First, we will lay a solid foundation by accelerating the implementation of policies related to large-scale equipment updates and promoting the optimization and upgrading of information infrastructure. We will also promote the coordinated development of computing infrastructure and accelerate the formation of a national unified computing system. Second, we will focus on innovation, which we believe is fundamental. We will integrate 5G with big data, cloud computing, AI, and other technologies to accelerate the evolution of 5G. As we all know, 5G is now evolving to 5G-Advanced (5GA) or 5.5G, and we will accelerate R&D in 6G and 10G optical networks. Third, we will strengthen application efforts by accelerating the promotion of R&D and applications in areas such as big data and AI. We will implement the AI Plus initiative and continue accelerating the industrial internet's large-scale application. Fourth, we will improve supervision by speeding up the issuance of policies and opinions on innovative information and communication industry management, optimizing the business environment, and continuing to create a first-class business environment to better serve market entities. Fifth, we will safeguard security by strengthening technical support, improving industry network and data security management, and promoting the innovative development of the network and data security industry. Thank you.