By Liu Jianing
China has established the largest and most technologically advanced 5G network in the world, with its 5G mobile phone shipments reaching 266 million units in 2021, up 63.5% year on year, said Tian Yulong, an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), at a press conference Thursday.
On Jan. 20, 2022, the State Council Information Office (SCIO) holds a press conference in Beijing on the development of industry and information technology in 2021. [Photo by Liu Jian/China SCIO]
With 654,000 newly added 5G stations in 2021, altogether 1.43 million 5G stations have been set up across China. The network covers all prefectural-level cities and the urban areas of over 98% counties and 80% townships, said Zhao Zhiguo, an official of the MIIT.
A total number of 512,000 administrative villages had received broadband access by 2021, which solved the problem of internet accessibility in poor areas for the first time. "It was internationally remarkable," Tian said.
With the Beijing Winter Olympics only two weeks away, all the venues in the three competition zones have been covered by 5G. The technology will support and ensure cloud broadcasting services and an intelligent Winter Olympics, Tian said.
