光網城市(guangwang chengshi): Optical network cities

Premier Li Keqiang mentioned in this year's Government Work Report that China will build a batch of cities with optical networks and promote the construction of optical networks in 50,000 administrative villages, in order to enable urban and rural residents to enjoy digitalized lives.

The Government Work Report last year already called for accelerating the construction of fiber-optic networks. And Li criticized China's slow Internet speeds several times last year, saying the Internet in some developing countries is faster than it is in Beijing. The announcement of optical network cities this year shows the government's determination to promote faster Internet speeds nationwide.

Information infrastructure construction is a significant public service that is essential to people's livelihoods and social progress, as well as the government's "Internet Plus" strategy for industry.

It is expected that the Internet will be faster throughout the country in the coming years thanks to the construction of optical networks. This will also accelerate the process of China's urbanization, increase efficiency, lower the living and production costs, encourage start-up business and narrow the gap between urban and rural areas.

(China Daily 03/16/2016 page8)