5G Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

 
China's 5G network will cover all cities and towns, as well as most villages, by 2025, said a development plan on digital infrastructure.

The number of 5G base stations per 10,000 people will reach 26 by 2025, said the plan issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Gigabit optical fiber network will cover most urban and rural areas, and facilities and services for data and computing will be enhanced remarkably, it said.

The plan defines the role of the information and communication industry as a strategic, basic and pioneering industry to help build a new type of digital infrastructure and support economic and social development, said Xie Cun, an official with the MIIT.

In terms of digital application, the plan elucidates that information communication technology and economic and social fields will be deeply integrated, new forms of businesses based on the internet will boom and the scope of industrial internet innovation and application will further extend to the core links of manufacturing.

The plan highlighted a new type of supervision system, as well as the protection of users' rights and interests, especially their personal information.