On the morning of 5 february, the 57th china internet development statistics report (hereinafter " the report " ) was launched in kyoto. The report documents our country in 2025 with detailed dataInternet developmentThe results of this initiative are intended to inform the development of the country's relevant industries。
The year 2025 was the year of admission of the “1455” planning officer and the year of the “155” planning plan. During the “1455” period, we achieved remarkable progress in the development of the internet, continuing to move towards “new” and towards “good”. As of december 2025, we had 1,125 million internet users, an internet penetration rate exceeding 80 per cent, and digital development gains reached a wider group。Digital economyThe scale has grown steadily, with core sector value added increasing to 10. 5 per cent of GDP, and the pace of the digital transformation of industry increasing across the board. GeneratingArtificial intelligenceThe number of users reached 602 million, with applications reaching the depths of life and production. The flourishing of our internet industry has created a solid basis for both the presentation of bright-eyed responses for the “xiv5” recruits and the “155” layout。
Towards “new”: new infrastructure, new technologies, new subjects, innovative highlands
During the “1455” period, our internet insisted on innovation, supported by new infrastructure, new technologies as engines and new subjects, to create new patterns of system synergy and dynamism。
The new infrastructure was deployed ahead of schedule to secure the digital base. In terms of mobile networks, 4. 83 million base stations have been built, all townships and 95 per cent of administrative villages throughout the country have reached 5g, and the 5g evolutionary network has covered more than 330 cities. With regard to the fixed network, 3,162,000 gpon ports have been built, 2/3 of the country's municipalities meet the ggbg urban standards, and a pilot gbg network has been implemented in some cities. With regard to computing facilities, the construction of 42 huanca chile clusters with an intelligent calculus of over 1590 eflops is at the top of the globe and is a powerful force supporting the rapid development of our artificial intelligence industry。
Artificial intelligence drives change and shapes new engines of development. By december 2025, the number of artificially generated intelligent users had reached 602 million, an increase of 141. 7 per cent over the end of 2024; the prevalence rate had reached 42. 8 per cent, a significant increase of 25. 2 percentage points. Generating artificial intelligence is accelerating integration into everyday life and production, becoming an important engine for social digital and intellectual transformation。
Small and medium-sized enterprises (smes) are growing in size and the role of solid and strong chains is evident. Currently, there are more than 60 million smes in the country, with 99. 9 per cent of the total number of smes, 84. 3 per cent of the total number of employees and 78 per cent of the total number of assets. There has been a cumulative growth of more than 17,600 specialized new “small giant” enterprises, more than 140,000 specialized new smes, more than 600,000 sti-type smes and steady progress in the development of high-quality sme gradients. In terms of industry distribution, more than 60 per cent of the “small giant” enterprises are in the field of deep-tilled industrial infrastructure, nearly 80 per cent are in the main industrial chain, 90 per cent are directly associated with at least three major domestic and foreign enterprises, and nearly 6,000 are in the fields of quantum technology, artificial intelligence, low-altitude economy and so on, providing an important support to the strong chain stabilization。
Ii. Moving towards “good”: wider access, deeper integration and warmer services
The development of our internet has always been people-centred, inclusive and sustainable, with solid results in terms of outreach, integration depth and service temperature, promoting more equitable, accessible and warmer results in digital civilization。
Broader coverage and sustained digital inclusion. The overall size and coverage of the internet has steadily increased, and urban-rural coverage has become more even. As of december 2025, the internet penetration rate in the country stood at 80. 1 per cent, an increase of 9. 7 percentage points over the initial “1455”; 69. 5 per cent in rural areas, an increase of 13. 6 percentage points over the initial “1455”; 53. 7 per cent among 60-year-olds and internet users, with more groups crossing the digital threshold and integrating equally into the intelligent society。
It's more integrated, and it's a bit of a touch-up. Digital technology has accelerated the infiltration of the real economy and the various spheres of social life, injecting dynamic energy into economic and social development. During the “1455” period, our digital consumer market was the first largest in the world, reaching a total of 17,92 trillion yuan in january-november 2025, and digital consumption is becoming an important driving force for consumption growth; among them, the level of networked intelligence of service consumption under line lines has increased significantly, and digital support services, such as dots, smart guides and so forth, provide easy interactive experience that can reach and affect non-network consumer groups and deepen the value of internet connectivity。
Services are warmer and the well-being of the people is real. My country adheres to a people-centred approach to development and vigorously promotes the deep integration of digital technology with public services. As of december 2025, online government, internet medicine and online education users were 940 million, 411 million and 327 million, respectively. The “one thing done with efficiency” translates into a normalization of service mechanisms, with significant reductions in business and mass processes, time and cost; the gradual expansion of internet health services from online consultations, re-advertisements to health management, slow-disease follow-up and teleconferences has effectively contributed to the inclusive sharing of quality medical resources; online education continues to break through time and space constraints, the system of national intellectual education platforms is being improved and the digital transformation process of education is being accelerated。
During the “xivv” period, our internet made significant progress in terms of coverage and depth of application, steadily increasing the level of technological capability and innovation. Looking ahead to “155,” our internet will continue to play a more solid and far-reaching role in supporting high-quality economic and social development and in servicing china's modernization efforts by insisting on “new” technologies and “good” for the well-being of people。
Click to download the report: full statistical report (PDF version)
