China’s first batch of cities for piloting integrated application of “5G+industrial internet” were recently announced, including ten cities such as Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Nanjing and Suzhou.

“5G+industrial internet” refers to efforts to use new-generation information and communication technologies represented by 5G to build new infrastructures, application models and industrial landscapes. The inclusion in the first batch of pilot cities is attributable to Qingdao’s prolonged efforts to develop industrial internet and grasp the opportunities presented by 5G. Qingdao has worked hard to build 5G infrastructures, thus ranking among China’s first batch of pilot cities for 5G networks and gigabit cities. Qingdao topped China’s mega cities in terms of comprehensive network quality in the 2023 evaluation of the quality of mobile network in key regions of 100 Chinese cities.

Qingdao has stepped up intelligent and digital transformation, and internet connection in the manufacturing sector and has therefore come out in front of innovation of industrial internet in China. Qingdao has so far been home to more than 50 provincial level above industrial internet platforms, 14 national level industrial internet platforms, which have launched as many as 21 innovative and pioneering application case, the most among all Chinese cities of the same kind.  (Sun Xin)