China has set a new global benchmark in internet technology by launching the world’s first commercial 10G broadband backbone network on April 20, 2025, in Xiong’an, Hebei Province. Developed through a collaboration between Huawei and China Unicom, this cutting-edge network delivers download speeds of up to 9,834 Mbps and upload speeds of 1,008 Mbps, with latency as low as 3 milliseconds. Utilizing 50G Passive Optical Network (PON) technology, the network enhances data transmission over existing fiber-optic infrastructure, enabling the download of a 20GB 4K movie in under 20 seconds.
The 10G network, also deployed in Sunan County, supports high-bandwidth, low-latency applications critical for smart cities, autonomous vehicles, telemedicine, cloud gaming, and immersive VR/AR experiences. Xiong’an, a futuristic city 112 km from Beijing, serves as a testing ground for this technology, aligning with China’s vision of leading global digital innovation. The network surpasses broadband speeds in countries like the UAE (313.5 Mbps) and Singapore (345.3 Mbps), positioning China ahead in the global tech race.
Despite claims of being the first, some reports note that countries like South Korea and the US have trialed similar technologies, though not at this commercial scale. Challenges remain, including high infrastructure costs and low gigabit adoption rates in China. Nonetheless, this milestone underscores China’s commitment to transforming industries through ultra-fast connectivity.
