In recent years, China has made significant investments in the development of digital infrastructure. Internet users in the country are growing rapidly. In addition, the government prioritized the development of digital technologies in order to drive economic growth and improve the delivery of public services.
The expansion of broadband internet access has been one of the key areas of investment. In 2020, the Chinese government set a goal of providing “universal” broadband coverage, which led to significant progress in the end. At present, China has more than 800 million broadband internet users. The average internet speed is also the highest in the world.
China also focused its investment on the development of mobile networks, as it has the world’s largest number of mobile phone users. The government also encouraged the construction of 4G and 5G networks to support its growing demand. It led to the deployment of millions of new base stations for the expansion of mobile internet coverage to even the most remote areas of the country.
In addition to building out its digital infrastructure, the Chinese government has also taken steps to regulate and control the internet within its borders. The “Great Firewall of China” is a system of censorship and surveillance that is used to block access to certain websites and monitor online activity. Strict regulation has been implemented by the government on internet service providers (ISPs) and social media companies to comply with censorship and data redistribution laws.
Even with such efforts from the government to control the internet, the rapid growth of China’s digital economy could not be stopped from reaching its present potential.
It is known as the home to some of the most successful technology companies in the world, such as Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, and plays a major role in e-commerce, online payments, and other digital network services in the country.
The technology investment is not just limited to the private sector; the Chinese government is also investing to improve the delivery of public services. such as the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence in health care and transportation services.
In recent years, smart cities have also become a big investment goal of the Chinese government. It shows the maximum use of digital technologies for the improvement of the livability and sustainability of urban areas. such as the use of sensors, cameras, and other digital devices for collecting data on everything from traffic and air quality to energy consumption and public safety.
We can see the Chinese government’s and the Chinese people’s enthusiasm for significant investments in digital infrastructure, resulting in a massive growth of the country’s digital economy and the improvement of public services.
Even though the government played a controversial role by controlling the internet and regulating technology companies, investment played a major role in driving economic growth and improving the lives of the country’s citizens.
Source: cigionline, base22