SHANGHAI - China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will step up support for research into next-generation mobile telecom networks, or 5G, an official said on Wednesday.

Liu Lihua, vice minister of the MIIT, made the announcement at a global forum on mobile telecommunications in Shanghai.

The ministry will work to create a good environment for firms to invest in, develop and innovate with mobile telecom technologies and support their efforts to boost technological research and increase capital injection, especially in 5G, he added, without giving more details.

Faster and more stable networks brought along by 4G technologies have sped up mobile telecom networks' integration with the sectors of transport, logistics, education and medical services.

There is great demand for mobile telecom technologies in China and the world, pointing to enormous market potential for innovations in mobile telecom technologies, according to Liu.

More than 80 percent of China's netizens surf the Internet through mobile phones, the official added.