China Has Launched the Second Phase of 6G Technology Trials

On January 21, 2026, the General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology held a press conference to present the achievements of industrial and information technology development in 2025.

According to the briefing, China has built 4.838 million 5G base stations, with 5G coverage now available in all townships and 95% of administrative villages nationwide. We have established the world’s largest and most technologically advanced information infrastructure. The number of 5G users has exceeded 1.2 billion.

Currently, China accounts for 42% of the global total of declared 5G standard-essential patents. The first phase of 6G R&D technical trials has been completed, resulting in a reserve of over 300 key technologies, and the second phase of 6G technical trials has recently been launched. The goal is commercialization around 2030 and large-scale deployment by 2035.

I. Three-Phase Trial Plan (China IMT-2030 Promotion Group)

Phase I (2022–2024): Key Technology Trials

Objective: Define 6G technology directions and validate the feasibility of individual technologies

Achievements: Over 300 key technologies (terahertz, convergence of communication and sensing, AI-native, integrated air-ground-space systems, ultra-large-scale MIMO, etc.)

Phase II (2025–2026): Technical Solution Trials (Current Phase)

Core Tasks:

Focus on ITU-defined 6G typical scenarios and performance metrics

Develop 6G prototype devices and system solutions

Field testing: 5 major areas, 57 test cases

Validation: Interoperability, device functionality, service scenarios, power consumption, and performance

Phase III (2027–2030): System Networking Trials

Develop pre-commercial equipment

Large-scale networking, end-to-end testing, and industrial maturity validation

II. Key Focus Areas for Phase II

Convergence of Communication, Sensing, Computing, and AI

Integration of Air, Land, Sea, and Space (Satellite + Ground + Ocean)

Terahertz / Sub-THz Ultra-High-Speed Communication

AI-Native Air Interface and Network Autonomy

Extreme Performance: Peak Data Rates at Tbps Level, Latency Below 1 Millisecond, Connection Density of 10⁷/km²

III. China’s Global Position in 6G

5G Standard Essential Patents: 42% of the global total

6G R&D: Leading the global first tier, with advantages in technology reserves, trial progress, and influence in international standards

IV. Significance

Transitioning from “breakthroughs in individual technologies” to “system-level validation”

Supporting the development of ITU/3GPP international standards

Laying the engineering foundation for commercial deployment by 2030