The major indices of China's industrial economy met expectations in 2019, the ministry of industry and information technology said on Monday.  

China achieved a big increase in its total telecom business volume, despite rising domestic and international risks and challenges, according to the ministry.  

In a press conference on Monday in Beijing, Miao Wei, minister of industry and information technology, said his ministry's targets for the year were achieved relatively comfortably. 

"Coordination was made in stabilizing growth, improving weak links, adjusting structures and optimizing the environment," he said 

Industrial added value above the designated scale nationwide increased by 5.7 percent year on year. And the added value in manufacturing rose by six percent, faster than that of the entire industrial sector. 

"We still have heavy pressure on steady growth in industry, but we see that there are many strong drivers," Miao said. 

The minister added that the ministry is making efforts on structural adjustment and transformation and upgrading, as well as innovation.  

And more than 660 billion in arrearages to private companies and small- and medium-sized enterprises was cleared up in 2019. 

"In the meantime, we will deepen and expand opening-up in the manufacturing sector and have closer and practical international cooperation," Miao told journalists. 

In 2019, China also saw steady growth in telecoms. The total volume in the sector increased by 18.5 percent year on year, based on the constant price.  

The revenue in the software and information service industry increased by 15.4 percent. 

And in 2019, China launched 5G's commercial phase. So far, 130,000 such base stations have been built and 5G applications are making progress. 

"We hope to work with more countries on the technology to utilize 5G's advantages while avoiding its disadvantages and make it better serve human beings," Miao told journalists.

The country initiated a project on "5G+Industrial internet" at the end of the year, hoping to secure further progress in 5G applications and integration with other industries, and a study on the next generation technology is also on the agenda. 

For the new year, the ministry said that it will give further impetus to enterprises, encourage innovation, upgrade the industrial chain and pursue stable and high-quality growth of industry and telecommunications.