In the government work report delivered to the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, Premier Wen Jiabao set forth an ambitious plan last week for the country to mount the commanding height of science and technological innovation, such as in the field of Internet of Things and new energy-powered vehicles.

The research and development of the network has been booming in China since the second half of last year after the government decided to promote the promising industry, along with industries such as new energy, new materials and information networks.

In China, the network, integrating various technologies, has been applied to safety monitoring, public transportation and logistics.

China set up its first Internet of Things center in Shanghai last week. With a total investment of 800 million yuan (US$117.13 million), the 170,000-square-meter center is designed to study technologies and industrial standards in the field.

Liu Haitao, head of the Wuxi research institute of Internet of Things, said China has gained an initial advantage as it starts early on research and development in the sector.

However, industry analysts believed there are still many obstacles.

"China should step up efforts to standardize the industry and develop a technological system with independent intellectual property rights," said Jian Qin, the board chairman of China Mobile's branch in Jiangxi Province.

Jian, also a deputy of the NPC, suggested that the government work out regulations and laws to guarantee legal use of the network as "like the Internet, the network will exert challenge on information safety and privacy."

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2010)