China unveils 2026-2030 information and communications development plan

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has released a development plan for the information and communications sector covering the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). The initiative aims to promote high-quality development and establish a next-generation communication network with full coverage and advanced performance by 2030.

The plan focuses on building a technologically advanced, secure, and controllable industrial system. Key objectives include enhancing network and data security, improving global integration, and creating an agile governance system. These efforts are intended to lay the groundwork for full sector modernization by 2035.

The document outlines 13 key indicators to be met by 2030, including: - Sector revenues reaching 4.1 trillion yuan (approximately $604.8 billion). - Total investments of 3.8 trillion yuan in information infrastructure. - An average annual growth rate of 7% in telecommunications activity. - 50 5G (including 5G-A) base stations per 10,000 people. - A 5G user penetration rate of 95%. - Intelligent computing power reaching 9,800 EFLOPS.