By Yin Haodong, Research Department of Rural Economy, DRC; Huo Peng, Xiao Rongmei & Chen Linqi, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology

Research Report, No.147, 2021 (Total 6122) 2021-6-7

Abstract: As the strategic foundation for the development of digital economy, new-type infrastructure plays a critical role in pushing ahead with the sharing of digital dividends among people in rural and urban areas. In recent years, China has formulated overall arrangements for new-type infrastructure construction and made notable and comprehensive achievements in rural areas. As a result, China has realized the complete and high-quality network coverage in rural areas and ensured the accessibility and affordability of information and telecommunication services for most of the rural residents. However, current infrastructure construction deployment and application in rural areas are yet to be boosted to meet the further demand for more digitized and intelligent network infrastructure. Governments in countries like the U.S. and the U.K. have lent a helping hand in promoting the new-type infrastructure construction with increased investment, reformed administrative and operational mechanisms and enhanced resources integration based on the coordination between governments and enterprises. Their experience has offered some enlightenments for China. In view of the practical needs to realize rural revitalization in the digital economic era, we need to make continuous efforts to enforce investment intensity in new-type infrastructure, deepen coordination between government and enterprises and attract the joint participation of market entities so as to explore new ways for the promotion and application of new-type infrastructure in rural areas.

Keywords: new-type infrastructure, rural areas, digitalization, policy options