China’s 6G Development Enters System Verification Phase
China’s sixth-generation wireless communications technology has officially transitioned from laboratory research to system verification, marking a critical milestone in the country’s race toward next-generation connectivity. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) confirmed it is systematically conducting 6G key technology research, development, and experimental verification, accelerating progress on core technologies and standards, according to CCTV News.
A Three-Phase Roadmap
China’s 6G technology testing follows a structured three-phase approach. Phase 1, the key technology test phase, has been completed and successfully identified the major technical directions for 6G. Phase 2, the technical solution test phase, is currently underway, focusing on developing 6G prototype systems for typical scenarios and performance indicators. Phase 3, the system networking test phase, will develop pre-commercial equipment and conduct key product testing.
According to Beijing Daily, China has already accumulated over 300 key technology reserves during the first phase of 6G testing and holds more than 40% of global 6G patent applications, positioning it as a leading force in the international race to define next-generation wireless standards.
Satellite-Terrestrial Integration Breakthrough
China Telecom has achieved a significant technical milestone, completing the industry’s first high-orbit plus medium-orbit satellite collaborative networking technology test. The breakthrough reduced signal switching time from over 300 milliseconds to just 26 milliseconds, an order-of-magnitude improvement.
“Recently we completed a test of collaborative work between terrestrial networks and high-orbit and medium-low orbit satellites,” said Zhang Chengliang, President of the China Telecom Research Institute, as reported by China News Service. “The original switching time required over 300 milliseconds, now reduced by an order of magnitude to 26 milliseconds, achieving coordinated communication between terrestrial networks, high-orbit satellites, and medium-orbit satellites.”
Industry and Government Coordination
MIIT Chief Engineer Zhong Zhihong emphasized the importance of accelerating the maturation of integrated technologies. “Promote the accelerated maturation of technologies such as communication-intelligence integration and communication-sensing integration,” Zhong said, according to CCTV News. “Accelerate the development of 6G core technologies and standards, prospectively layout and cultivate the 6G application industry ecosystem, and jointly maintain global 6G unified standards.”
MIIT has launched a 6G innovation development ministry-province collaborative pilot program, targeting the formation of a batch of independently innovated 6G technology solutions by 2029 to support commercial deployment. The action plan emphasizes research into integrated technologies including communications plus artificial intelligence, satellite internet, and wireless sensing, as well as system architecture research.
ZTE Vice President of Strategic Architecture Yan Lijuan noted that the company has participated in China’s 6G promotion group for four consecutive years and has now entered the second phase of systematic solution verification. “A 6G physical layer high-efficiency coding technology jointly proposed by us and industry partners has been adopted by international communication standards organizations,” Yan said.
6G Application Scenarios and Implications
China Mobile Research Institute’s Future Research Institute President Yu Li outlined the transformative potential of 6G connectivity. “After upgrading to 6G, we have multi-dimensional integrated connections of people, things, and intelligence,” Yu explained. “Human-to-human connections are on the order of 8 billion, while connections between people and things, and people and intelligence could reach 10-20 billion.”
China Unicom researcher Wang Guanli highlighted the broader implications for emerging industries. “Through these three-dimensional coverage capabilities, along with our low-latency and high-bandwidth capabilities, we can empower the low-altitude economy, security, and logistics sectors,” Wang said, as reported by China News Service. “Including in AI applications, we can enable intelligent agent communication and promote the landing and accelerated commercialization of these scenarios.”
Potential 6G application scenarios include immersive communications, low-altitude economy (drone delivery and air taxis), embodied intelligence (robots and autonomous systems), and smart ocean applications.
Global Context and Outlook
China’s coordinated national approach — combining MIIT leadership, provincial pilot programs, and industry collaboration — positions it strongly in the global 6G race. The country’s 40% share of global 6G patents provides significant leverage as international standardization efforts progress through the ITU’s IMT-2030 framework.
As reported by Sina Finance, the “15th Five-Year Plan” has identified 6G as a priority future industry, with commercial deployment expected around 2030. The three-phase testing structure provides a clear roadmap with measurable milestones leading toward that target.
With Phase 2 testing underway and the 2029 target for commercial-ready solutions on the horizon, China’s 6G journey has entered a critical new chapter — one that will shape not only the country’s digital infrastructure but also the global telecommunications landscape for decades to come.