With the advent of the 5G era, people are discussing 6G technology more and more frequently. Although 6G technology has not yet been officially implemented, we can see from the development history of 4G and 5G technology that the impact of 6G technology on future network communication cannot be ignored. Looking back at the early days of 4G's development, many people were skeptical about its value, believing that 4G was just a stable and faster 3G that did not need to be pursued. However, when the advent of smartphones was combined with 4G technology, it swept the world and changed the way people lived. The high-speed internet of smartphones makes it easier for people to play games, participate in social interactions, and more. 4G technology has encountered some difficulties in the process of its application ecological construction, but with the popularization and development of smart phones, it has changed people's lifestyles. The same phenomenon has reappeared in the 5G era, 5G technology has brought great convenience to life, but also brought some problems. Therefore, the development of 6G technology has become particularly important, which can solve some of the problems faced by 5G technology and is applicable to smart life and virtual reality.
As one of the countries with the most mature 5G technology in the world, China has made great progress in the field of network communications. According to the 2024 census data, China's mobile phone penetration rate has reached 85 percent, and the number of mobile Internet users has exceeded 1 billion. China has a large population base and high usage rate, which makes our need for the network even higher. Although current 5G technology is not fully available to all users, we are already at the forefront of global 5G technology development. However, China has not stopped at its place, and has a smaller advantage in chip technology than technological powers such as the United States. But it is this technological leadership that gives China a competitive advantage in the field of 5G technology.
Although 6G technology has not yet been officially commercialized, China occupies a leading position in 6G technology invention patents. According to statistics, the number of invention patents for 6G technology in China accounts for 40%.30, far more than 35 percent in the United States20。This means that China has strong strength in R&D and innovation in the field of 6G technology. In addition, Japan, as an Asian country with close relations with the United States, also has a certain competitiveness in 6G technology, and the number of invention patents accounts for about 9%.90。Although the United States and Japan combined slightly surpass China in the number of 6G patents, this does not affect one of the reasons for China to continue to develop 5G technology.
5G technology is becoming increasingly important and will be the infrastructure of the future network era. As one of the countries with the largest number of mobile phones in the world, China will inevitably occupy a place in the future information age. The speed of network transmission is getting faster and faster, which will provide more convenience for people's work and life. Globally, China has always been an exporter of network communication technology, and 6G technology is not only a further improvement of network speed, but also an opportunity for innovation and development. China's leading position in 5G technology and the development potential of 6G technology enable China to continue to lead in the field of global network communications.
To sum up, China competes with the United States for 6G technology because the impact of 6G technology on the future network era cannot be ignored. China's leading position in 5G technology and continuous research and development of 6G technology invention patents have given China a competitive advantage in the field of network communications. The importance of network technology to China has also increased the focus and investment in 6G technology.