“New infrastructure” included in China’s government work report for first time
By
Zhou Nan
The concept of “new
infrastructure” has been for the first time included in China’s government work
report this year, which vowed to develop next-generation information networks
and expand 5G applications, build more charging facilities and promote wider
use of new-energy automobiles, and stimulate new consumer demand and promote
industrial upgrading.
New infrastructure, together with
new urbanization initiatives and major projects, will be given priority in the
Chinese government’s efforts to expand effective investment this year.
How will
the
“two sessions,” annual meetings of the top legislature and political advisory body
of China, chart the course for China’s development at this special
time in history is a topic attracting worldwide attention.
Singaporean
newspaper Lianhe Zaobao pointed out that economic “remedies” are definitely a
major focus this year, as how China will set the tone for its economy and
resume work and production is catching the eye of the world.
Now,
solutions are revealed. Great expectations are placed on new infrastructure, new
urbanization initiatives and major projects. They are taken as a priority
because they are able to both address the current demand to offset the impacts of
COVID-19 and help lay a foundation for digital economy and innovative
development in the long run.
How will new
infrastructure change our lives and the society? The government work report has
given a clear answer – to develop next-generation
information networks and expand 5G applications.
For
consumers, 5G might mean faster internet speed, higher-definition videos, and faster
downloads. However, 5G is more than those, and it will usher in an
era of “new connection.” The broadband, less latency and high stability of the
technology will further break the restrictions on people-to-people,
people-to-things, and things-to-things connection, thus realize
an internet of everything. 5G, like today’s power facilities, will become a key
infrastructure in the future digital world, serving as a bedrock for
digitalization of each industry.
Take health
sector as an example. During the COVID-19 epidemic, 5G technology was used by
Wuhan’s Leishenshan Hospital and the west campus of
Wuhan Union Hospital to transmit CT images and other relevant treatment
information to a command center in Beijing which dispatched corresponding
medical experts from a “cloud” server to conduct comprehensive analysis on
intractable cases. This method offered real-time assistance for medical workers
saving lives on the frontline.
The technology
of 5G features broad bandwidth, less latency and wide connection, which can
perfectly fix the problems of remote diagnosis and treatment, such as delay,
low video definition and stutters. Therefore, to realize wide connection of
medical devices through 5G technology, promote online consultation of experts
and optimize the allocation of medical resources is considered a qualitative
leap in the medical world.
Not only the
health sector, 5G will also be applied to the internet of vehicles, autopilot,
industrial internet, smart homes, and smart cities. The “new connection” powered by 5G is inspiring indefinite
imagination for the future.
Some
compare data to mine, computing to electricity, and 5G, AI and cloud computing
to light, TV and other appliances that present computing in a colorful manner, in
the smart world of new infrastructure. To realize the imagination for the
future digital world, “new connection” is only one of the many steps.
When
5G connects hundreds of industries, the world has to face gigantic waves of
data. After all, an autopilot vehicle generates 64TB of data in a single day,
which is able to fill 32 hard discs. Without supercomputing capability, these
data cannot create their due value, let alone helping us make the production
and decision systems more efficient and smarter.
In
the future, huge data will be generated on terminals, edge and cloud, so
computing must be completed where data are generated. Besides, computing capability
must be diversified for terminals, edge and cloud. Only by doing this can the
value of data be maximized and industrial digitalization be accelerated. So it’s
obvious that new connection and new computing are core to new infrastructure.
Empowered by new connection and new computing,
industries are now accelerating digital transformation, working in high speed
to upgrade themselves.
In
Xiamen, Southeast China’s Fujian Province, an all-scenario smart port is put
into operation, which is expected to save over 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) of
labor cost each year. In Shenzhen, 5G, cloud and AI technologies are applied to
the construction of smart airports, reducing 20 percent of the waiting time for
passengers, and freeing 4 million passengers from ferry buses each year. In
Suzhou, East China’s Jiangsu Province, a smart water affair system powered by
these technologies is making the city’s water clearer.
In
the future, the development of new infrastructure will surely digitalize and
upgrade the society at a higher speed, bringing us whole new experiences beyond
imagination.
Heads of Chinese ministries and departments receive
a video interview after the second plenary meeting of the third
session of the 13th National People’s Congress, May 25. The less
latency and high speed of the 5G network enabled the smooth operation of the
press conference. Photo by Weng Qiyu/People’s Daily Online
“New infrastructure” included in China’s government work report for first time
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