http://www.bjreview.com AUGUST 1, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 39
Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
Comments to [email protected]By 2022, Beijing will spend over 30
billion yuan ($4.4 billion) on building a
citywide 5G network and aims to achieve
a 5G industrial output of 200 billion yuan
($29.1 billion), its action plan released in
January said. Other regions such as Tianjin
and Hubei Province have also promoted
5G networks, both building more than 300
base stations.
Averting homogenous rivalry
To avoid homogeneous competition, the
cities and provinces are seeking to develop
5G networks in different industrial clusters.
Chen Baoming, a researcher with
the Chinese Academy of Science and
Technology for Development, told Beijing
Review coastal and southern regions with a
strong industrial foundation have a higher
demand for 5G expansion than other parts
of the country.
“Since the 5G network is based on a
string of industrial chains, cities and prov-
inces in the clusters can complement each
other to tap into the potential of the 5G
market,” Chen said.
The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, de-
marcated to promote their coordinated
development and produce a driver for the
economy, and the Yangtze River Delta
region in east China comprising Zhejiang,
Anhui and Jiangsu provinces as well as
Shanghai are enhancing cooperation on
5G.
According to Ge Xin, Deputy Director
of the Smart Manufacturing Department
of Comba, a Guangdong-based telecom
service provider, clustered development
of different cities and provinces can also
help reduce waste of resources caused by
homogeneity as 5G layout costs are ex-
pected to be at least 1.5 times those of 4G
networks.
As 5G technologies give a thrust to a
wide range of industries such as medical
care, automated driving and smart logistics,
many cities and provinces are moving fast
to launch 5G networks to better meet pub-
lic demands. Some of them have launched
5G networks in public places and transpor-
tation. The Guangzhou Baiyun International
Airport in Guangdong launched a 5G base
station on January 25, making it the first
5G-covered airport in China. The Beijing
Mass Transit Railway said one of the city’s
subway lines, Line 16, attained full 5G cov-
erage from May 17.
With 5G technologies, doctors are
able to observe the real-time situation in
operation rooms and give instructions for
remote pre-operative planning and surgical
cooperation. Several hospitals in Hubei and
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have
undertaken 5G-based remote surgery with
success.
The 5G network is also boosting au-
tomated driving as well as the application
of drones and unmanned ships. SinceChina allowed local governments to ar-
range road tests for intelligent connected
vehicles (ICVs) last year, Beijing took the
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driving cars with 5G network. Shanghai and
Chongqing in southwest China have also
issued license plates for ICV road tests.
China Mobile estimated that the num-
ber of cars equipped with 5G will reach 50
million in China by 2030, which suggests
great market potential.
On May 16, Tianjin completed China’s
first inspection of electric power lines
through drones, using 5G connection,
which protected workers from potential
electric shocks.
As 5G technologies bring a strong
growth momentum to various industries,
Chen said their further commercialization
still faces challenges. Similar to other newly
emerged industries, the gap between the
input and the market demand in 5G indus-
tries may lead to inadequate returns in the
initial phase, he said.
However, he was upbeat about the future
expansion of 5G technologies. “5G-based indus-
tries may face bubbles in the short term but the
technologies will be able to meet the market
demand better through long-term develop-
ment,” he said. QA remote-controlled car connected to a 5G network is test-driven in southwest China’s Chongqing on July 16
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