Chinese companies have showcased their latest advancements in 5G-Advanced (5G-A) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies at the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain which opened on Monday.
The four-day event, hosted by the GSMA at the Fira Gran Via exhibition center, is themed "Converge, Connect, Create," emphasizing the fusion of mobile and AI-driven technologies.
It has drawn more than 2,800 exhibitors and 1,200 speakers, with organizers expecting over 100,000 attendees. More than 300 Chinese firms, including China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo, and Xiaomi, are showcasing their latest innovations.
"We unveiled a new series of AI-centric network solutions designed to integrate AI more deeply into mobile networks and enhance their ability to support the growing number of AI-powered applications," said Cao Ming, vice president of Huawei.
"ZTE has launched hundreds of 5G-A technology-powered applications in over 100 cities across China. We've seen positive results from these deployments and are eager to expand to more cities and scenarios," said Wang Xiang, chief strategy officer of Chinese telecommunications company ZTE Corporation.
A project named "End-to-end Automation of Network Operations" submitted by ZTE in partnership with China Mobile, has won the GSMA Foundry Excellence Awards 2025 - Network Efficiency and Optimization Award for their joint achievement in multi-agent collaboration solution.
This has recognized the innovative value of telecom large models in enhancing the efficiency of end-to-end network operations and maintenance.
"This is an opportunity to showcase China's leading digital technology achievements and Chinese companies' innovative capabilities to the world. At the same time, we can leverage this platform to strengthen our brand building and global expansion with power of digital technology," said Liu Yang, deputy general manager of China Mobile's Marketing Department.
The GSMA also released its Mobile Economy Report 2025, which revealed that mobile technologies and services contributed 5.8 percent of global GDP in 2024, amounting to 6.5 trillion U.S. dollars. That figure is projected to reach 11 trillion dollars, or 8.4 percent of GDP, by 2030, driven by the expansion of 5G, IoT, and AI.
GSMA,(Groupe Speciale Mobile Association) is a non-profit industry organization that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide.
Chinese companies showcase latest 5G-A, AI technologies at Mobile World Congress 2025
Heightened volatility in global oil markets, triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as Middle East tensions escalate, could spell significant uncertainty for Hong Kong's economy if it persists, industrial experts warned.
While the Strait of Hormuz -- the only maritime passageway from the Persian Gulf to the open sea, through which more than a quarter of the world's seaborne oil and roughly one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments are transported -- has never been fully or permanently closed, every strategic tremor in the region has registered on global price charts.
The sharp surge in oil prices has already begun to impact consumers in various ways. Cathay Pacific Airways, raised its fuel surcharges on March 18, with long-haul routes seeing hikes of around 100 percent. The airline has also extended its suspension of flights to Riyadh and Dubai through the end of April.
Hong Kong Airlines and Greater Bay Airlines have likewise increased their fuel surcharges. Rising oil prices, coupled with disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, are pushing up shipping costs and causing delays across global logistics networks.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong stocks have been fluctuating between gains and losses, as investors grapple with heightened volatility in oil markets.
Still, experts said there may be opportunities as well: Hong Kong could benefit from its position as an aviation hub. With Middle Eastern airlines operating at reduced capacity, the city may be able to capture a larger share of transit passenger traffic.
In addition, Hong Kong holds appeal as a safe-haven destination. As investors focus on diversification and security, the ongoing Middle East conflict could drive capital flows into the Asian financial hub.
"If you look in the financial industry, it is possible that some investors may try to seek a safe haven away from the Middle East. And for that aspect, Hong Kong also has some chances of attracting some of this investment into the city," said Gary Ng, senior economist at Natixis Corporate and Investment Bank.
But concerns remain over a potential recession and inflation. Experts suggested that the negative effects of the Middle East conflict on Hong Kong may outweigh the benefits.
【同期2】 GARY NG Senior Economist, Natixis Hong Kong "Globally, if we start to see commodity prices -- be it oil, food, etc -- going up, then definitely it can hike prices in Hong Kong. Inflation pressure will actually go higher and that can eventually hurt demand from consumers and also, businesses," said Gary Ng.
Much will depend on the duration of the conflict, experts said. They warned that if tensions in the Middle East persist, Hong Kong will not be able to remain unscathed in the face of such a global storm.
HK faces mixed fortunes amid heightened market volatility fueled by Mideast conflict: expert
