BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- China is stepping up the construction of its 5G network, and has now built over 600,000 5G base stations, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

With the rapid increase in 5G users, the number of connected devices on the network has exceeded 150 million, data from the ministry showed.

"In the next three years, China will be at the introduction stage of 5G development, so it is necessary to make proactive moves in construction," said Wen Ku, an official with the MIIT.

The COVID-19 epidemic has accelerated the implementation of digital applications, aided by the development of 5G. These include various digital products, services and solutions.

As the number of 5G users continues to increase, innovative services related to 5G will grow substantially, said Liu Duo, head of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.