China has detailed its massive satellite network deployment as part of its just-released 15th Five-Year Information and Communications Industry Development Plan (2026–
2030 рр.), prepared by the Ministry of Industry and Informatization of the People's Republic of China (MIT). The main goal of the new strategy is the full integration of low- and medium-orbit satellites, as well as geostationary devices with terrestrial communication networks to 2030 year to ensure full
and seamless global coverage.
Key aspects of China's satellite and telecom plan:
Space-earth integration: Документ вперше чітко фокусується на глибокому поєднанні супутникових систем із наземною інфраструктурою. The priority is the development of satellite technologies for direct communication with smartphones without the need for special terminals.
Space calculations: The plan formally approves the research and implementation of airborne satellite computing technologies, which will allow data to be processed directly in orbit.
Competition with Starlink: The strategy reinforces China's practical steps to deploy mega-constellations (such as the state project of China Satellite Network Group on over 13 000 satellites and SSST's G60 Starlink commercial project, that plans to withdraw over 15 000 devices to 2030 year).
Related goals of the telecom sector to 2030 year:
In addition to the development of the space echelon of communication, MIIT's new five-year plan includes a number of other ambitious goals for building a next-generation telecom network:
Launch of commercial 6G services: The plan clearly indicates China's intention to commercialize 6G networks "at an appropriate time" within the next five years.
5G penetration: It is planned to increase the level of coverage and penetration of 5G and 5G-Advanced users to 95% (compared with 86% in 2025 year).
The power of AI calculations: The total amount of intellectual computing power of the country should reach gigantic 9 800 Eflops (EFLOPS) with the deployment of AI clusters, that will work on Chinese-made chips.
Financial indicators: Expected, that the total income of China's information and communications industry to 2030 year will reach about 605–611 billion US dollars, provided that cumulative investments in infrastructure amount to 566,47 A billion dollars of US.
In this way, Beijing aims to build a fully independent, technologically protected from the influence of the West and sustainable infrastructure, which will unite AI, ground towers and satellite networks into a single ecosystem.
Source: https://spacenews.com