Ahead of its Post-MWC Sharing Event in Beijing, the GSMA has revealed that AI and mobile technologies are projected to contribute $2 trillion (£1.58 trillion) to China’s economy by 2030—equivalent to 8.3% of the nation’s GDP.
The findings – published in the Mobile Economy China 2025 report – underscore 5G’s pivotal role in driving growth, with the manufacturing sector alone expected to account for 40% of this economic impact.
The insights arrive as global attention turns to MWC25 Shanghai (18–20 June), where AI, 5G, and IoT will dominate discussions. The event follows the success of MWC25 Barcelona and aims to spotlight China’s leadership in integrating advanced technologies across industries.
5G and AI: Catalysts for digital and economic transformation
During a media briefing, GSMA leadership – including Director General Vivek Badrinath, CMO Lara Dewar, and CEO GSMA Ltd John Hoffman – highlighted China’s rapid adoption of 5G, which now represents over half of the country’s mobile connections.
Operators are increasingly embedding AI into enterprise solutions, leveraging 5G Standalone (SA) and 5G-Advanced networks to deliver sector-specific innovations.
“China continues to show how advanced 5G services, mobile innovation, AI, and digital services can have real economic impact,” said Badrinath. “With AI integration, Chinese operators are putting AI at the heart of intelligent solutions across industries.”
The GSMA delegation also met with Chinese tech giants such as Bytedance, iFlytek, JD.COM, Lenovo, and Xiaomi to explore cross-industry collaboration. Additionally, Dewar spearheaded the GSMA’s Women for Tech initiative, hosting a networking dinner in Beijing on 8 April to promote gender diversity in the sector.
Key insights from the report:
- In 2024, mobile technologies generated $1.2 trillion (£950 billion) in economic value, 6.2% of China’s GDP.
- Mobile internet users are forecast to grow from 1.17 billion in 2024 to 1.22 billion by 2030, raising penetration from 80% to 84%.
- Monthly mobile data traffic per connection will quadruple by 2030, nearing 70GB.
- Manufacturing – a leader in adopting 5G, IoT, and AI – will drive almost half of the projected economic gains.
All 14 Greater China operators, it’s worth noting, have adopted the GSMA Open Gateway initiative that standardises APIs to enhance connectivity. China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom recently achieved cross-network integration of 5G Quality on Demand (QoD), with plans to launch anti-fraud APIs.
GSMA to bring global tech players together in China
MWC25 Shanghai will spotlight four core themes: 5G Inside, AI+, Connected Industries, and Connected Enablers. Sessions will explore AI’s role in telecoms, 5G monetisation, and sustainability, alongside the inaugural GSMA Policy Leaders Forum—an invite-only summit addressing regulatory challenges in digital transformation.
New for 2025, the IoT showcase (IOTE) will co-locate in Hall N5, featuring advancements in RFID, edge computing, and IoT platforms.
Sihan Bo Chen, Head of Greater China at the GSMA, said: “As we look ahead to MWC Shanghai, we will bring together top tech players from China and the world to connect with each other and demonstrate how their advanced innovations in 5G and AI are shaping the future of the global tech industry.”
(Photo by Li Yang)
See also: Samsung and KT partner to counter 6G signal quality challenges
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