5 April 2023

China’s Approach to Military 5G Networks and Related Military Applications

Henry Wu

This article summarizes thinking, plans, and activities of the People’s Republic of China in leveraging 5G networks for military purposes, and developing associated military applications. The paper analyses Chinese original sources, including government strategy documents, articles and essays by government officials and scholars, and commercial documents like due diligence and market analysis reports. The paper argues that China intends to capture the strategic value of 5G for the military, including through conceptual research on the role of 5G in future warfighting. Chinese research institutions and private companies have filed patents and developed dual-use applications for 5G networks, which could be used for military and national security purposes. The paper recommends to continue monitoring China’s plans and activities in these areas. 

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