BEIJING — China has built over 500,000 5G base stations during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), as the country continues the rapid construction of its 5G network.

With the number of 5G users on the rise, the number of connected devices on the network has exceeded 100 million, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

"Nowadays 5G applications in China are continuously enriched, covering the industrial sector and industries including medical treatment, media, transportation and more," said Li Ying, an official with the MIIT.

"China has formed a benign model of 'promoting 5G use through construction', thus promoting the development of information consumption," said MIIT Vice-Minister Liu Liehong.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China introduced a series of measures to lay a solid foundation for accelerating the research and development of 5G technology, amid efforts to promote and construct related infrastructure network facilities.