China now has the world's largest 5G network following accelerated infrastructure construction for the Internet over the past 12 months, according to the 2024 China Internet Development Report issued by the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies on Thursday.
The report was released during the 2024 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit, which started on Wednesday in Wuzhen Town of east China's Zhejiang Province.
The report says China had 3.8 million 5G base stations by the end of June, covering the entire country with a penetration rate of 5G users exceeding 60 percent. 5G technology has been applied to 74 industries. Key industries such as manufacturing, mining, electricity and healthcare have witnessed rapid 5G development over the past 12 months.
Besides 5G, China is also spearheading the infrastructure construction for gigabit Internet with the country's gigabit Internet users accounting for more than 70 percent globally, according to the report.
In addition to the report on China's internet development, the publisher also released the 2024 World Internet Development Report, which highlights global progress in upgrading existing Internet infrastructure, and the acceleration of innovation in emerging digital technology. It also warns that global cybersecurity remains fragile as crimes have increased significantly.
The first WIC was held in 2014 and it has now become the largest and highest-level Internet conference in China. Every year, representatives of government departments, international organizations and leading internet companies from more than 100 countries and regions gather in Wuzhen to discuss the development and future of the Internet.
China develops world's largest 5G network: report
Russia said on Thursday that its armed forces had struck over 100 targets in Ukraine, while Ukraine reported, on the same day, that it had repelled offensives from Russia.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in its latest report that over the past 24 hours, its forces had conducted strikes on 149 areas, including energy infrastructure serving the Ukrainian forces, assembly workshops and storage points for long-range attack drones, and temporary deployment sites of Ukraine's armed forces and foreign mercenaries. They also destroyed Ukrainian armored vehicles, field artillery, and ammunition depots. Additionally, the Russian air defense system shot down 216 fixed-wing drones belonging to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that its troops engaged in 134 combat clashes with Russian forces in the past day. They repelled dozens of Russian attacks in areas such as Pokrovsk. Their air, missile, and artillery units struck one Russian warehouse, one control point, and two major targets, and shot down 330 Russian tactical drones.
In another development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that a Ukrainian delegation is en route to the United States to continue peace negotiations.
The talks with the U.S. negotiating team are set to take place on Friday and Saturday, with European representatives also expected to participate, Zelensky told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
He highlighted that the key points of contention between Ukraine and the United States include territorial issues and the use of frozen Russian assets.
Zelensky said that, should a peace agreement be reached in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine plans to use the frozen assets for reconstruction efforts. However, if hostilities persist, the funds may be directed toward supporting the Ukrainian military, bolstering defense production, and purchasing U.S.-made air defense missiles, he added.
Russia strikes over 100 targets in Ukraine, Ukraine reports repelling Russian offensives
