Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang Wednesday said the country should step up efforts to promote the development of third-generation (3G) and domestically-developed TD-SCDMA technology.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang (2nd R Front) visits Datang Telecom company, one of China's four major 3G operators, in Beijing, capital of China, on January 5, 2009. Zhang said on Wednesday the country should step up efforts to promote the development of third-generation (3G) and domestically-developed TD-SCDMA technology as he inspected the country's four major 3G operators, namely Datang Telecom, China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile, on January 5-6. [Xinhua]

Zhang urged accelerated construction of the 3G network, strengthened technological innovation and enhanced information security management, during a visit to the country's four major 3Goperators including Datang Telecom, China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang (2nd R) visits China Telecom company, one of China's four major 3G operators, in Beijing, capital of China, on January 5, 2009. [Xinhua]

Zhang said the 3G technology should be given full play to promote the informationization and upgrading of the traditional industries and boost the development of modern service industries.

He required the four major telecom operators to make unswerving efforts to develop the TD-SCDMA technology, explore new business opportunities and improve the construction of a full-fledged industrial chain, so as to sharpen the competitiveness of the TD technology.

Zhang also asked the technology developers to enhance information security management to ensure a safe and steady operation of the 3G technology.

China issued the long-awaited 3G licenses January last year, with China Mobile getting the TD-SCDMA standard, China Telecom receiving a license for the US-developed CDMA2000 and China Unicom getting permission to operate Europe's WCDMA.

As of now China has invested 160.9 billion yuan (US$23.6 billion) in building 325,000 new 3G base stations covering the country's major cities, according to Zhang.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2010)