The National Informatization "15th Five-Year Plan" is issued, proposing the timely launch of 6G commercialization by 2030

Recently, the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission issued the "National Informatization '15th Five-Year Plan" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), proposing that by 2030, China's informatization will have made major progress, and its role in advancing Chinese-style modernization will be more prominent. The leading advantages of information infrastructure will be consolidated and expanded, a three-dimensional network system spanning land, sea, air and space will basically take shape, the new-generation communications network will be fully built, commercial use of sixth-generation mobile communications (6G) will be launched in due course, the national blockchain network will be basically completed, and the layout and development of the intelligent internet will be accelerated.

The Plan also proposes that by 2030, the capacity for scientific and technological innovation in the cyberspace and informatization field will be significantly enhanced, the scientific and technological innovation system will be more sound, and breakthroughs will be made in key core technologies in key fields. The cyber and information industry ecosystem will flourish, digital technology and the real economy will be deeply integrated, and the comprehensive strength of cyber and information enterprises will be significantly enhanced. The level of digital, networked and intelligent application in the economy and society will reach a new stage, and the ability to empower economic and social development and governance will be markedly improved. Cybersecurity safeguards will be solid and strong, the system of laws and regulations and standards will be more complete, and the concept of a community with a shared future in cyberspace will be deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Centering on the development goals of the "15th Five-Year Plan", the Plan sets out an overall layout of "building three systems, raising five levels, and consolidating two supports", and deploys specific tasks in 10 areas: first, building a new-type information infrastructure system; second, building a cyber and information technology innovation system; third, building a cyber and information industry ecosystem; fourth, raising the level of modern governance; fifth, raising the level of information benefiting the people; sixth, raising the level of digital and green coordinated development; seventh, raising the level of regional coordination; eighth, raising the level of open development; ninth, consolidating support for security safeguards; and tenth, consolidating support for laws, regulations and standards.

Among these, in terms of building a new-type information infrastructure system, the Plan specifies building a three-dimensional network infrastructure, improving integrated application infrastructure, and laying out and developing the intelligent internet, and makes specific deployments such as "accelerating 6G technology research and development, standards development and application verification", "developing direct-to-satellite services for terminal devices and advancing the integrated development of satellite and terrestrial networks", and "accelerating the construction of a nationally integrated computing power network and promoting the coordinated development of computing power, electric power and networks".

Zhang Li, president of the China Center for Information Industry Development, said that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation will accelerate, network information technology will show a development trend of innovative breakthroughs, deep integration and collective leaps, and technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, blockchain and satellite internet will accelerate their application and implementation, driving profound changes in the driving forces, forms and models of informatization development and moving toward a new stage of comprehensive upgrading in digitalization, networking and intelligence. Only by deepening original innovation in the informatization field, accelerating breakthroughs in key core technologies, and speeding up the efficient transformation of scientific and technological achievements can we seize the historical opportunity of the information revolution and grasp strategic initiative in the information age.

In addition, in terms of building a cyber and information technology innovation system, the Plan proposes enhancing basic research and original innovation capacity, making breakthroughs in key core technologies, and promoting the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation. In terms of building a cyber and information industry ecosystem, the Plan also specifies cultivating new industries and new tracks, empowering the optimization and upgrading of traditional industries, and promoting the high-quality development of cyber and information enterprises.

The Plan also sets up 7 special columns, namely the information infrastructure innovative development project, the cyber and information technology innovation breakthrough project, the cyber and information industry ecosystem development project, the intelligent society development and governance action, the key regional informatization coordinated development action, the overseas development action for cyber and information enterprises, and the action to facilitate cross-border data flows.

Dong Yu, executive vice president of the China Institute for Development Planning at Tsinghua University, said that the strategic focus of informatization development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period will shift from fragmented technological breakthroughs to strategic-level vertical integration of "computing power - systems - models - applications", relying on domestic operating systems to connect heterogeneous computing power clusters, and driving chips, software and applications to move from "fragmented breakthroughs" to "systematic coordination", continuously accelerating high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, and enhancing the strategic confidence and conviction for international competition.