China to issue 4G licences within this year

China's State Council has issued a new set of guidelines to fast track IT related consumption. All this in a bid to turn the sector into a new pillar of growth for China.

China's top executive making body, the State Council, has issued new guidelines to promote infrastructure development of IT related technologies. The goal is to achieve at least 20-percent growth annually in the sector between 2013 to 2015.

Aptly named the "Broadband China" strategy, the move aims to speed up license issuances for 4G mobile networks this year. Development of navigation technology, digital publishing and mobile muti-media are all on tap to be fast tracked.

"We will further expand e-commerce by improving the online payment and logistics system." Xu Yu, Director of Information Promotion Dept., MIIT said.

New guidelines ask telecom operators to improve services as well as cut costs, while making these improvements transparent. Private capital is also encouraged to invest in telecom infrastructure construction.

"These measures are aimed at removing various industrial and regional obstacles which are blocking information-related consumption." Xu Yu said.

The guidance has also encouraged local governments to issue preferential policies to boost information-related demands.