China is so ambitious to lead the next-generation 5G. (Image credit: supchina)

China Internet Report: China is no longer copycats in the technology industry

Faradita Prayusti
Business & Industry
Sci-Tech
Jul 11, 2019
4049
For many years China used to be labeled as “copycats”, especially in the tech industry for duplicating social media platform from western countries. However, the stereotype is no longer existing, it is the time for the country to show its ability in creating advanced technology.

China Internet Report 2019 found the trend in the industry is changing. It is reported that global internet firms from Southeast Asia to the US are looking for copying Chinese concepts, particularly in terms of “the all-in-one” super app model.

The most unexpected findings from the report are existing big companies such as Facebook, Japan’s LINE messaging app and Indonesia’s ride-hailing company GOJEK following the super-app concept from WeChat – a pioneered of a super app developed by Tencent.

WeChat is not merely a messaging app, but it also provides various services from social media to mobile payment.

The recent hot issue in the tech industry is next-generation 5G, where China is so ambitious to lead the technology. Currently, the country has the most number of 5G patents as well as ongoing 5G pilot projects in over 12 cities, according to the report.

China Unicom – a China-based state-owned telecom operator, has started 5G pilot projects and plans to completely commercialize the sophisticated technology in 2020.

Earlier On June 26, the company’s President and Executive Director, Lu Yimin announced that the firm has progressively introduced the use of 5G technology in 16 cities in China.

China’s ambition to become the leader of 5G is shown on the country’s US$180 billion investment in 5G deployment for over five years, according to the vice-president of wireless services at Google, Milo Medin.

The country that possesses 5G would be able to set the global standards, according to the Defense Innovation Board, a group of American business leaders and academics, stated in a report for the US Department of Defense.

China also developed artificial intelligence (AI) technology, where it used massively in the country’s industries, such as hotel and e-commerce. The AI is also utilized to enforce traffic laws and other surveillance purposes.

Source: https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3018026/chinese-internet-firms-are-no-longer-copycats-heres-how-china

China , Technology , 5G , AI , messaging , app , WeChat , copycat