Premier Li Keqiang urged telecommunication companies to cut prices for their Internet services and improve the Internet speed.

He made the comments at a State Council executive meeting on May 13.

The Premier also said that about 100 million Chinese nationals traveled abroad last year, but the growth in the use of international roaming services is declining — because the services are too expensive.

“I heard that many tour guides take a portable Wi-Fi signal transmitter to offer Internet access to their tourists, thus helping them to save money,” the Premier said.

Premier Li also said that it is not the government’s decision, but the market’s decision, to lower the fees of Internet services, and this move will increase the use of the Internet services and in turn increase the profits of telecommunication companies.

Another important task is to speed up the construction of infrastructure.

“China has more cell phone users than any other country, but its Internet service speed ranks below 80th in the world due to underdeveloped information infrastructure,” the Premier said.

Speeding up the construction of information infrastructure will boost investment and support the development of the “Internet Plus” Plan as well as mass innovation, he added.

He also asked relevant authorities to cooperate and coordinate in order to provide a favorable environment for telecommunication companies.