5G reading equipment and products will make a debut during the 2020 CIFTIS.Photo:VCG

 That 5G is all the rage in China is evidenced at the ongoing China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), where the latest 5G-enabled products and applications are among the coolest exhibits.

A 5G-themed pavilion covering an area of around 2,000 square meters presents visitors on the same stage of people from different parts of the world, driving simulation using virtual reality gadgets and smart factories, among other 5G-powered exhibits from industry heavyweights, including Huawei, ZTE and BAIC Group, Global Times found on Friday.

At CIFTIS, China Mobile, the world's largest operator by subscribers, also showcased its use of big data to help with coronavirus containment, work and production resumption, city management, and also how it incorporates 5G into culture, entertainment and education to push ahead with quality growth of the economy. 

In a statement sent to the Global Times on Friday, the telecom carrier said it had built nearly 300,000 5G base stations, and its 5G package users had topped 84 million. 

The operator's big data platform for city management is capable of presenting confirmed COVID-19 infections nationwide, and offers insights into the mobility and distribution of people in infected areas, offering a precise big data basis for the nation's virus containment. 

5G is integrating into the economy and society at an accelerated pace, rendering the technology the main artery for the flow of information, an accelerator of industrial transition and upgrading, and the new cornerstone for the building of a digital society, the statement said. 

5G is also coming to robots, with a coffee-making robot — powered by the fifth-generation Qualcomm AI Engine and equipped with a 5G connection — on display at the US chipmaker's booth. Visitors can order coffee via the robot's WeChat mini program. And once the payment is done through WeChat, the robot instantly turns into a barista and serves a cup of Americano or Latte. 

The robot can make at least 30 cups of coffee per hour, a booth staff told the Global Times on Friday. The robot, which sells for over a million yuan ($146,000), has yet to hit the market, the staffer said. 

A sub-forum for 5G-driven new trade is also scheduled on Saturday morning, with inputs expected from leading industry insiders and watchers, including executives from Qualcomm, ZTE and Ericsson.