China Mobile is set to showcase its next‑generation 6G technology at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang, from November 2‑5. 6G promises more than lightning‑fast downloads – it adds three “superpowers”: ultra‑wide bandwidth that could download a 4K movie in under a second, built‑in sensing that turns base stations into radar‑like eyes for traffic, safety and environmental monitoring, and on‑network AI that lets the network process data locally, cutting latency and protecting privacy. The company is testing a full‑stack 6G ecosystem that links ground stations, low‑altitude platforms and satellites to deliver seamless coverage even in remote mountains, oceans and disaster zones. Prototypes already on display include a holographic‑call system that creates life‑like 3‑D faces in real time, and a robot‑dog‑and‑smart‑glasses duo that can be commanded by voice to locate and move objects together. Satellite experiments such as the “China Mobile‑01” and “China Mobile‑02” missions demonstrate direct phone‑to‑satellite links and space‑ground computing. While these demos are still in the trial phase and not yet mass‑produced, they signal that 6G is moving from lab research to real‑world pilots, laying the groundwork for a faster, smarter, and more resilient internet that could reshape everything from entertainment to emergency response.
Read moreChina’s Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission has unveiled a sweeping “National Informatization 15th Five‑Year Plan” that sets out an ambitious roadmap for the country’s digital future. By the end of the decade, the plan calls for a three‑dimensional communications grid that spans land, sea, air and space, with a fully built next‑generation network and the commercial launch of 6G mobile services. Internet penetration is targeted at 85 % of the population, and there will be 50 5G (including 5G‑A) base stations for every 10,000 people. IPv6 traffic should account for 42 % of total data flow, while new large‑scale data centers must achieve a power‑usage effectiveness below 1.2, underscoring a push for greener computing. The strategy also emphasizes a robust cybersecurity ecosystem, a thriving digital‑technology industry, and stronger digital governance. R&D spending in the computer and communications sector is slated to hit 3.6 % of industry revenue, and the nation aims to file more than 3.2 million domestic invention patents in core digital fields. Smart devices and AI agents are expected to reach 90 % adoption, and the digital economy’s contribution to GDP should rise to 12.5 %. Additional goals include 70 % of firms digitizing key processes, a 3.5 trillion‑yuan cross‑border e‑commerce market, and 90 % coverage of electronic social‑security cards. The plan seeks to fuse digital innovation with green development, regional coordination, and open international cooperation, positioning China’s cyber‑space as a secure, regulated, and globally connected community.
Read more2026 has become a landmark year for robotics and artificial intelligence, with several game‑changing advances that are reshaping factories, hospitals, campuses and even everyday shopping. The ROS2 and Micro‑ROS frameworks have now become the de‑facto standard for robot software, making it easier to build, test and deploy machines at scale. Industrial robots are shedding their reliance on traditional PLCs, linking directly to digital‑twin platforms that mirror real‑world production lines in real time. Combined with visual‑positioning systems, large‑scale VLA models and hybrid SLAM algorithms, pallet‑handling efficiency on assembly lines has jumped roughly 40%. Service robots are also stepping out of the lab. In hospitals, autonomous guides now navigate corridors with near‑perfect accuracy, while campus delivery bots are completing more than 90% of their tasks without human help. The open‑source community around quadruped and humanoid robots is maturing, with STM32‑based real‑time controllers and adaptive environmental calibration becoming the backbone of new deployments. Humanoid robots are no longer a novelty. UBTECH’s Walker S2 demonstrated a 3‑minute battery‑swap that enables 24/7 operation, and a 1.7‑meter steel “warrior” stole the show at a robot‑combat event in Hangzhou. Meanwhile, AI models such as ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0 are moving beyond text to generate and understand images, video and audio, sparking fierce cloud battles between Microsoft, Amazon and Chinese tech giants. China’s rapid policy support and rich data ecosystems are turning the country into a global testing ground for the next wave of AI‑driven robotics, while new ethical guidelines begin to address the societal impact of these powerful technologies.
Read moreEmbodied artificial intelligence – robots that can see, feel and act – is moving from labs into everyday life. In China, robots are already guiding students around West Lake, sorting thousands of parcels per hour at China Post’s Guangzhou hub, and testing batteries on factory lines for brands like Xiaomi and BYD. Specialized machines patrol chemical parks, fight fires in skyscraper drills, and even pick ripe tomatoes without bruising them. Industry leaders propose three bold steps: co‑creating the whole technology chain (from tactile sensors to smart “brains”), gathering real‑world use cases worldwide, and building open, safe standards for the technology. Numbers back the hype. By 2025 more than half a million new industrial robots will be installed globally, and China will account for roughly 295,000 of them – over 50% of the world total. Domestic firms now hold 57% of robot sales, a first‑time shift from importing to manufacturing their own. Humanoid robots are the star of the show, with China shipping over 40,000 units in the first half of the year, 97% of global deliveries. Challenges remain: training a robot’s “brain” needs millions of hours of data, and current costs (500,000‑600,000 RMB per unit) mean a payback period of five to eight years. Yet global experts agree China is ahead in deployment and safety standards, and the race to set those rules will shape the next era of human‑machine collaboration.
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