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China TELECOMMUNICATIONS
In 1987 China possessed a diversified telecommunications system
that linked all parts of the country by telephone, telegraph,
radio, and television. None of the telecommunications forms were as
prevalent or as advanced as those in modern Western countries, but
the system included some of the most sophisticated technology in
the world and constituted a foundation for further development of
a modern network.
Historical Development
When the People's Republic was founded in 1949, the
telecommunications facilities in China were outdated, and many had
been damaged or destroyed during the war years. In the 1950s
existing facilities were repaired, and, with Soviet assistance,
considerable progress was made toward establishing a long-distance
telephone wire network connecting Beijing to provincial-level
capitals. In addition, conference telephone service was initiated,
radio communications were improved, and the production of
telecommunications equipment was accelerated. Growth in
telecommunications halted with the general economic collapse after
the Great Leap Forward (1958-60) but revived in the 1960s after the
telephone network was expanded and improved equipment was
introduced, including imports of Western plants. An important
component of the Fourth Five-Year Plan (1971-75) was a major
development program for the telecommunications system. The program
allotted top priority to scarce electronics and construction
resources and dramatically improved all aspects of China's
telecommunications capabilities. Microwave radio relay lines and
buried cable lines were constructed to create a network of wideband
carrier trunk lines, which covered the entire country. China was
linked to the international telecommunications network by the
installation of communications satellite ground stations and the
construction of coaxial cables linking Guangdong Province with Hong
Kong and Macao. Provincial-level units and municipalities rapidly
expanded local telephone and wire broadcasting networks. Expansion
and modernization of the telecommunications system continued
throughout the late-1970s and early 1980s, giving particular
emphasis to the production of radio and television sets and
expanded broadcasting capabilities.
Data as of July 1987
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