The sixth generation of mobile communication technology, also known as 6G, is seen as the next wireless communication technology after 5G.
It is estimated to be commercially available around 2030.
Compared to current 5G technology, 6G will offer higher data transmission rates, lower latency, wider bandwidth, and higher reliability.
According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 6G will achieve "ubiquitous high-rate enhancement broadcast services" and support terahertz (THz) frequency band communication to facilitate emerging applications such as artificial intelligence, extended reality (XR), and holographic communication.
6G is expected to achieve peak data rates of 1TB/s, latency below 100 microseconds, and spectrum efficiency more than 10 times higher than 5G.
In addition to improving network performance, 6G will integrate new technologies such as satellite communication and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces to achieve seamless ubiquitous connectivity.
Furthermore, 6G will support three-dimensional (3D) coverage and holographic communication, paving the way for applications like the metaverse and other virtual reality applications.
This will bring significant changes to human society and propel the digital economy and intelligent processes.
Ten countries have reached agreements on the development of 6G. These countries include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates.
They issued a joint statement on May 25, 2023, outlining a series of principles and goals for the development of 6G technology, marking the first global multilateral agreement on 6G technology.
The statement emphasizes that 6G standards must be "based on democratic values," including freedom, diversity, human rights, and the rule of law.
Furthermore, the statement calls for strengthened cybersecurity to prevent "inappropriate risk vendors" from participating in 6G network construction.
Although not explicitly named, it is widely believed within the industry that this is aimed at companies like Huawei from China, which held a leading position in the 5G field.
It is worth noting that the joint statement explicitly excludes China.
This reflects Western countries' wariness of China's progress in the 5G field and concerns that China will once again dominate the 6G field.
China is already leading in 6G technology research and plans to achieve commercialization by 2030.
These ten countries have committed to enhancing cooperation in the development of 6G technology during the standardization process.
They emphasize that 6G standards must be "open, free, fair, and transparent" to ensure network security and supply chain diversity.
The formulation of 6G standards has escalated into a new battlefield for major powers.
As the next generation of information and communication technology, 6G will profoundly affect the digital transformation of future economic and social structures.
Whoever controls the dominant power in setting 6G standards will to some extent dictate the direction of future communication technology development.
In the era of 5G, Chinese companies played a significant role in standard setting due to their technological prowess, which raised concerns in Western countries about national security risks associated with Chinese companies.
Therefore, at the outset of 6G standard setting, they attempted to exclude China to eliminate its influence in the 6G field.
This approach undoubtedly exacerbates geopolitical tensions in the tech sector.
Technical standards were supposed to be a neutral, open process, but now they have been drawn into the vortex of great power competition.
Some Western countries have politicized and ideologized technical issues, which may hinder the development of 6G technology and hinder global industry chain collaboration.
China insists that 6G standards should follow the principles of openness, transparency, inclusiveness, and non-discrimination to maintain the security and stability of the global industrial chain supply chain.
Chinese companies made significant contributions to the formulation of 5G standards and will also play an active role in the 6G field.
The formulation of 6G standards has become the focus of a new round of technological competition.
There are clear divisions between different countries and camps, and geopolitical factors will continue to affect the development process of 6G technology.
It is necessary to remain highly vigilant to prevent technical issues from being excessively politicized, lest it hinder global technological innovation.
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