TLDRs;
- China is accelerating 6G partnerships with Europe and South Korea as global standardization approaches in 2025.
- Over 300 core technologies and extensive testbeds position China to shape early 6G specifications.
- Global companies are joining Chinese trials to influence standards before IMT-2030 submissions begin.
- China’s research progress aligns with expectations for commercial 6G rollout near 2030 worldwide.
China has stepped up its push toward next-generation wireless networks, deepening cooperation with international partners as the global race to define 6G technology intensifies.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the country has made substantial progress in system design, network architecture, and early-stage trials, efforts that align with ambitions to support commercial 6G rollout by around 2030.
At the 2025 6G Development Conference, Vice Minister Zhang Yunming announced that China has now identified more than 300 key technologies considered foundational to future wireless standards. These include advanced distributed networks, ultra-low latency transmission systems, and new spectrum utilization models that support massive device density. Officials described 6G development as entering a “critical stage,” underscoring a broader global pivot toward standardization work expected to begin in mid-2025.
Expanding Global Collaboration
China is strengthening ties with international technology groups in an effort to shape, the emerging global framework for 6G. Partnerships with Europe’s 6G-IA and South Korea’s 6G Forum are central to this effort, providing channels for shared research, coordinated trials, and alignment on future standards.
The country has invited multinational vendors, chipmakers, and network equipment manufacturers to participate in ongoing experimentation. More than 100 domestic and foreign organizations are now involved across a variety of testbeds, giving international companies the opportunity to influence technology specifications before they are formalized by global standards bodies.
This international outreach is timely, as both 3GPP and the ITU-R are preparing to open key working processes that will ultimately determine global 6G requirements. 3GPP’s RAN1 group is expected to begin early phase work in August 2025, while ITU-R will receive IMT-2030 submissions between 2027 and 2029.
Trials Showcase China’s Research Momentum
China’s 6G trials have expanded rapidly across terrestrial, aerial, and satellite-based systems. State-backed Purple Mountain Laboratories continues to run one of the country’s most advanced testbeds, showcasing “cell-free” networks that replace traditional cellular towers with distributed antennas. Early trial results point to nearly tenfold performance gains over 5G in certain scenarios.
Other projects include a national 6G robot training ground, designed to test autonomous machines operating on ultra-fast, ultra-reliable networks. Meanwhile, China Telecom’s space-ground integration trials recently achieved a 140 Mbps downlink from a satellite orbiting roughly 20,000 kilometers above Earth, an experiment that could drive future satellite-enhanced mobile broadband services.
The country’s patent activity continues to be another indicator of momentum. With an estimated 40.3% share of global 6G-related patents, China is positioning itself as a major contributor to upcoming standards discussions.
Global Standards Work Approaches
China’s accelerated pace mirrors the broader international timeline, with most regions expecting commercial 6G deployment close to 2030.
Experts note that aligning early research and standardization efforts will be key to achieving global compatibility, especially for advanced functions like sub-millisecond latency, massive IoT connectivity, and integrated sensing and communications, core pillars of the ITU-R’s IMT-2030 vision.
Officials say China will continue prioritizing research, standards development, and international collaboration, while encouraging more global enterprises to participate in its trials. By drawing foreign vendors into its ecosystem ahead of formal evaluations, China aims to influence global specifications and reduce fragmentation as the next generation of mobile networks takes shape.
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