BEIJING -- China made solid progress in 5G innovation and development last year, with the number of 5G base stations increasing to nearly 3.38 million, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said Friday.

By the end of last year, the country had more than 10,000 5G-powered industrial internet projects and 5G pilot applications were launched in key areas such as cultural tourism, medical care and education to help restore and expand consumption, said Xin Guobin, vice-minister of MIIT, at a press conference.

The country's 5G mobile phone users reached 805 million by the end of last year, he added.

According to the estimates of research institutions, 5G is expected to help create an economic output of 1.86 trillion yuan (about $261.36 billion) in 2023, an increase of 29 percent compared with the figure registered in 2022, Xin said.