BEIJING, — China has officially launched the second phase of its sixth-generation (6G) mobile communications technology trials, marking a significant escalation in its long-term strategy to dominate next-generation digital infrastructure.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), who said the move follows the successful completion of the first phase of trials. That initial phase resulted in the identification and reservation of more than 300 core 6G-related technologies, laying the technical and standards foundation for future commercial deployment.
Speaking at a press briefing, MIIT spokesperson Xie Cun said the transition to the second phase reflects China’s confidence in its early research outcomes and its intention to accelerate experimentation under more complex, real-world conditions.
“The first phase focused on validating key technical concepts. The second phase will emphasise system integration, scenario-based testing and collaborative innovation across industry, academia and research institutions,” Xie said.
Building on 5G dominance
China’s push into 6G builds on its extensive 5G rollout, which officials describe as the largest information and communications infrastructure in the world. According to MIIT figures, the country has deployed more than 4.8 million 5G base stations, accounting for over half of the global total. The number of 5G users has exceeded 1.2 billion, underscoring the scale at which China has adopted next-generation connectivity.
This vast network provides a critical testing ground for advanced technologies expected to underpin 6G, including terahertz communications, integrated sensing and communication, artificial intelligence–native networks, satellite-ground integration, and ultra-low latency systems.
What 6G promises
While 6G standards are still under development globally and commercial use is not expected until around 2030, Chinese officials say the technology could deliver data transmission speeds up to 100 times faster than 5G, support massive machine-to-machine communication, and enable applications such as immersive extended reality (XR), autonomous systems, smart cities, and advanced industrial automation.
The second phase of trials is expected to involve expanded participation by telecommunications operators, equipment manufacturers, universities and state-backed research bodies. Analysts say this coordinated approach mirrors China’s strategy during the development of 5G, which allowed it to influence global standards-setting and build competitive advantages for firms such as Huawei and ZTE.
Strategic and geopolitical implications
China’s early and structured push into 6G is also seen as part of a broader technological and geopolitical contest, particularly with the United States and its allies, over leadership in future digital infrastructure. Control over standards, patents and core technologies is widely viewed as critical not only for economic competitiveness but also for national security.
By accumulating a large portfolio of proprietary 6G technologies at an early stage, China is positioning itself to play a decisive role in international standardisation processes over the coming decade.
Next steps
According to MIIT, the second phase of trials will focus on cross-domain integration, including the convergence of terrestrial networks with satellite systems, and the use of artificial intelligence to optimise network performance and energy efficiency. Further trial phases are expected as China moves closer to defining its proposed 6G architecture.
Officials stressed that while competition in 6G is intensifying globally, China remains open to international cooperation on research and standards development.
“6G is not just a technological upgrade, but a fundamental transformation of information networks,” Xie said. “China will continue to promote open collaboration while advancing its own innovation capabilities.”
The launch of the second phase signals that the race for 6G leadership has moved decisively from theory into advanced experimentation, with China determined to remain at the forefront.
