China’s Internet of Things connections expected to exceed 3.5 billion in 2025

China's Internet of Things (IoT) connections are expected to exceed 3.5 billion this year, data released at an industrial conference showed on Friday.

The first Conference on Sustainable Development of Global Intelligently Interconnected Digital Economy and World Internet of Things Convention 2025 opened in Beijing on Friday.

Themed "Intelligently Interconnected New Economy, Smart Society in the New Era," the two-day event has brought together officials, experts, scholars and business representatives from over 80 countries to discuss the role of IoT in advancing a common and sustainable digital transformation of the global economy.

IoT connects everyday devices to the internet, enabling them to collect data, communicate with each other and operate automatically. From household appliances to industrial equipment, IoT facilitates remote monitoring and control, delivering smarter and more efficient performance.

China's IoT infrastructure development has continued to accelerate. The country has launched a commercial trial of satellite IoT services, and the number of 5G base stations supporting IoT is expected to exceed 4.8 million across China. "China's traditional digital economy is expected to achieve an annual output value of over 80 trillion yuan (over 11.28 trillion U.S. dollars) this year. Notably, more than 1.2 million enterprises now meet the criteria for advanced IoT-empowered digital economy, positioning China as a global innovation powerhouse driven by new quality productive forces," said He Xuming, chairman of the World Internet of Things Conference Executive Committee.

China has invested over 8 billion yuan (over 1.13 billion U.S. dollars) in the IoT sector and released 86 national standards for IoT. Boosted by these preferable policies, China's IoT communication technologies are rapidly evolving from 5G toward 6G, satellite constellations and quantum communication, with new networks, models, and business formats emerging continuously.

"It is estimated that the scale of China's digital economy supported by IoT will maintain a strong growth rate of 10 percent in coming years," said Ni Jianzhong, chairman of the China Mobile Communications Association.

China’s Internet of Things connections expected to exceed 3.5 billion in 2025

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday presided over a State Council executive meeting that studied work on building a unified national market and reviewed and approved a plan for the development of a modern emergency response system during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

Noting that building a unified national market is essential to advancing high-quality development, the meeting called for deepening institutional frameworks in areas such as property rights protection, market access, fair competition, social credit and market exit mechanisms.

The meeting also urged efforts to advance high-standard connectivity of market infrastructure to facilitate smooth economic circulation and effectively reduce logistics costs across society.

Emergency management is critical to protecting people's lives and property, the meeting said. It called for accelerating the development of a modern emergency response system, deepening reform and innovation in emergency management, and improving coordinated response mechanisms.

Efforts should be made to strengthen risk prevention at the source, enhance monitoring, forecasting and early warning, and accelerate a shift in governance toward proactive prevention, according to the meeting.

A draft revision of the Law on the People's Bank of China was also discussed and approved in principle at the meeting, which decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation.

Chinese premier chairs State Council executive meeting