The reporter learned from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) that China is accelerating the construction of a new generation of communication networks, and typical applications of gigabit optical networks have now covered more than 90% of the major categories of the national economy.
Gigabit and 10-gigabit optical networks are important components of the new-generation communication network and are also the foundation for building a manufacturing powerhouse, a cyber power, and a digital China. Accelerating the construction of optical fiber networks is of great significance for supporting the innovative development of artificial intelligence and empowering the digital transformation and upgrading of the real economy.
Zhao Ce, Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Communication Development of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Gigabit optical networks are accelerating their integration with artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data and other technologies, covering 91 of the 97 major categories in China's national economy, and forming a number of replicable and promotable typical solutions in fields such as intelligent manufacturing, smart transportation, digital healthcare and smart education.
China has achieved "gigabit access in every county and broadband access in every village." The number of typical application cases of gigabit optical networks has exceeded 50,000, and cities such as Chongqing have achieved full urban-rural coverage of gigabit optical networks. Relying on all-optical networks, the MIIT has carried out the special action of "millisecond-level computing" in metropolitan areas, forming a number of representative practical results with high recognition that can be replicated and promoted. As of the end of June, the number of 10G PON ports with gigabit network service capability reached 32.86 million. More than 70 computing-power express corridors have been built around the national computing hub nodes, and network performance between relevant computing hub nodes has continued to improve.
Promoting 10G optical networks from pilot to large-scale application
The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes deepening the deployment of gigabit optical network applications and advancing the construction and development of 10G optical networks. While accelerating the deep coverage of gigabit optical networks, China is also continuously promoting the transition of 10G optical networks from pilot projects to large-scale application.
10G optical networks, with their ultra-large bandwidth, ultra-low latency, advanced and reliable technical characteristics, can better support the development of the new generation of communication networks. China organized 10G optical network pilots in 2025 and is currently in a globally leading position. Around the country, 136 10G residential communities, 10G parks and 10G factories have been built, and a number of typical business applications have been cultivated.
Li Shaohui, Director of the Broadband Technology and Business Division of the Standards Institute of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology: Through application innovation competitions, typical case collection and other activities, we are exploring innovative applications of 10G optical networks and promoting their implementation, publishing construction guidelines for 10G optical networks in key scenarios, formulating evaluation standards, and pushing forward the formation of a standardized system for construction, application and evaluation.
Li Shaohui said that the integration of 10G optical networks with artificial intelligence has become an important technology development trend. 10G optical networks provide intelligent computing power transmission lines for AI, supporting high-quality AI training and inference, while AI in turn improves the intelligence level of 10G optical networks. At present, the integration of the two has cultivated business applications such as cloud computers, industrial optical inspection, integrated sensing and communication, and model training and inference, laying the foundation for 10G optical networks to move from technical pilots to large-scale application. It is expected that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will achieve a comprehensive upgrade of gigabit networks, and key cities will complete the full-area deployment of 10G network applications.
10G networks empower industrial manufacturing and accelerate "intelligent transformation and digital upgrading"
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will focus on achieving first breakthroughs in key scenarios, continue to carry out 10G optical network pilots, and build China's 10G network industry clusters.
This chemical company in Fuling, Chongqing is one of the first batch of 10G optical network pilot projects of the MIIT. The intelligent monitoring and alarm system developed by the enterprise through 10G optical networks combined with AI algorithms has functions such as real-time electronic fence warning, intelligent identification of illegal operations, and alarm for intrusion by strangers. The system can not only send warnings at millisecond speed, but also transmit 8K high-definition surveillance video in real time. At present, Chongqing already has five 10G optical network pilot projects.
Teng Zhi, Party Secretary of the Chongqing Fuling District Big Data Application Development Administration Bureau: So far, we have covered all types of projects, including 10G parks, 10G factories and 10G residential communities.
Sichuan Chongzhou Economic Development Zone is the country's first 10G park in the home furnishing industry. After launching the 10G network pilot, the park achieved digital connectivity across the entire home furnishing industry chain from production to sales.
Pan Yujie, General Manager of Sichuan Tianfu Meijia Co., Ltd.: Since connecting to the 10G network, 100% of production equipment has been networked. Based on the low-latency and highly reliable network environment, we have implemented AI quality inspection and predictive equipment maintenance, and overall production efficiency has steadily increased by more than 30% compared with before the transformation.
In one of the park's production workshops, a reporter saw that the traditional operation mode of reading drawings manually, looking for tools and aligning holes has been replaced by full-process digitalization.
Ren Xianbo, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of Sichuan Chongzhou Economic Development Zone: So far, the 10G network has stably covered the three leading industries of the park, serving 145 enterprises.
(CCTV reporters Wang Shiyu, Sun Jiwei, Xia Siwei; Chongqing TV; Sichuan TV)
(CCTV News client)
