China says it will fast-track 5G commercial licences amid push back on Huawei’s overseas expansion
- State planning body to also promote HDTV in broader effort to boost consumption of content
China has pledged to fast-track the issuance of 5G commercial licences as part of an effort to boost domestic use of the next-generation mobile technology amid a US-led push back on the overseas ambitions of telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a notice published on its website on Tuesday that it will speed up the granting of 5G commercial licences to upgrade so-called information consumption in the country.
The state planner also said it would promote high-quality video and support the launch of 4K television channels across China to enrich content as well as subsidise super high-definition TV sets, virtual reality and augmented reality devices in certain regions.
The move is part of a broader effort to boost domestic consumption amid slowing economic growth. It also comes at a time when Huawei, which leads China’s bid to become the leading supplier of advanced telecoms equipment to the world’s mobile carriers, faces growing pressure from the US, where some politicians consider it an arm of the Chinese government.
The US filed charges on Monday against Huawei, contending that the Chinese smartphone and network gear maker had stolen trade secrets from a telecoms rival and violated US sanctions against doing business with Iran.
There is also heightened scrutiny on Huawei in other countries – including Britain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Canada – where their governments have either banned or are reviewing whether to allow Huawei equipment for their telecoms networks.