China will speed up research and development of 6G technologies and strengthen international cooperation in the sector, Jin Zhuanglong, head of the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), said on Sunday.

Jin made the remarks in the "Ministers' Corridor" on the sidelines of this year's Two Sessions, the country's annual political season.

China has built the world's largest 5G network with the most advanced technologies, Jin said, adding that the country will build another 600,000 5G base stations this year, which will bring the total number to over 2.9 million.

The number of 5G mobile phone users in China has now exceeded 575 million, the minister added.  

China's industrial economy to pick up in 2023

Speaking about China's industrial economy, Jin listed several favorable factors this year, including the country's major victory over COVID-19, as well as the stimulus policies that have already been taken and those in the pipeline, which he said will further release the vitality of market players, the consumption potential and the impetus for industrial upgrading.

"We are full of confidence that the industrial economy will recover and pick up," he said.

He also outlined several key tasks for the ministry in the next step.

The first is to promote the growth of key industries. Some sectors are large in scale, with their output value accounting for more than 1 percent of the country's GDP, such as electronics, automobiles, steel, nonferrous metals and petrochemicals, which play a vital role in stabilizing economic growth, Jin said. 

"We must do everything possible to stabilize these industries," he noted.

The second is to increase investment. Several large projects have been deployed for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), which should be implemented well, he said. Meanwhile, financial institutions and capital markets are encouraged to increase their support for the manufacturing industries, he added.

The third is to expand consumption. It's necessary to stabilize the consumption of large items, such as new energy cars, while continuing to promote the consumption of smart home appliances and green building materials in rural areas, he said.

The fourth is to give full play to the initiative of local authorities. It is necessary to support the eastern area to accelerate the development of advanced manufacturing industries and consolidate and enhance its export advantages. The central and western areas should be supported to undertake industrial relocations and create new growth sectors. The northeast region should step up the upgrading of the traditional industries and develop strategic emerging industries.