From Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese), translated by CDT (link):
China’s official stance on the third generation telecommunications has become clearer, although when to release licenses and what operational framework to adopt remain uncertain. “It’s a definite trend for China to develop 3G,” said Zhang Xinsheng, an official with the Ministry of Information Industry, during a press conference today.
As of late February, the number of mobile phone users in China surpassed 400 milion, accounting for one fifth of the world’s total and making the country the fastest growing country in mobile communication in the world. The demand has grown for individualized, more convenient and multi-media functionality of cell phones among Chinese users, Zhang said. He said his ministry is pushing forward the development of 3G, including TD-SCDMA, being independently developed by China.
