5G Contributed $788 Billion to Chinese Economic Output

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) noted that 5G commercialization directly contributed to a total economic output of CNY5.6 trillion ($788 billion) over the past five years. The body said China has claimed leadership in the advanced network’s infrastructure and key technologies.

Local newspaper Xinhua reported MIIT chief engineer Zhao Zhiguo revealed the numbers at a mobile communications forum, with the official stating the data was based on research by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. Zhiguo said that China has seen remarkable results in the integration of physical and digital applications since 5G was rolled out in 2019, which the official believes has brought the country to global leadership in 5G infrastructure.

The nation has also achieved breakthroughs in key technologies, Zhiguo noted. The official claimed 5G has also indirectly spurred CNY14 trillion in economic output, with Zhiguo pointing to the technology’s widespread deployment in key industries including mining and healthcare, and has now extended to areas like R&D and manufacturing. There are a total of 3.75 million 5G base stations in China as of April 2024, according to Zhiguo.

A recent Mobile Economy report by GSMA revealed the number of 5G connections in China surpassed 800 million, accounting for 45% of total mobile connections, as of 2023, with local operators now investing heavily in 5G-Advanced. It also predicts the country to record 1 billion 5G connections by the end of this year.