China’s digital infrastructure has achieved significant progress during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), reaching world-leading scale and technological level, said Liu Liehong, head of the National Data Administration, during a press conference held at China’s State Council Information Office on Thursday.
China had built 4.55 million 5G base stations and connected 226 million gigabit broadband users as of the end of June 2025, Liu said. The country’s total computing power now ranks second globally, providing a strong boost to economic and social development.
Investment in digital infrastructure has generated robust market demand, spurring growth of the information and communications technology industry chain and fostering an advanced and complete industrial ecosystem, Liu said.
The accelerated rollout and iterative upgrades of digital facilities have also fueled new business models and emerging sectors, such as online shopping, remote education, telemedicine, and “5G+ industrial internet.”
In rural areas, the expansion of 5G networks and e-commerce has enabled mobile phones to play a key role in boosting incomes and improving livelihoods for farmers.
After years of sustained efforts, China has achieved a series of breakthroughs in key core technologies. Integrated circuit development is accelerating, while domestic operating systems are gaining traction — with devices in the HarmonyOS ecosystem surpassing 1.19 billion units. China now also accounts for 60 percent of the global artificial intelligence patents.
China’s data industry has also seen rapid expansion. According to the National Data Development Research Institute, the number of data-related enterprises nationwide exceeded 400,000 in 2024, with the industry market size reaching 5.86 trillion yuan — a 117 percent increase from the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020). The sector is expected to maintain high growth in the coming years.
Liu stressed that these achievements highlight China’s determination and capacity to advance its digital economy, laying a solid foundation for future high-quality development.