Growth of latest digital infrastructure underway

China is actively accelerating the construction of a new round of digital infrastructure in an effort to offset economic sluggishness and foster high-quality development, the country's top industry regulator said on Wednesday.

Xie Shaofeng, spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said new infrastructure construction－such as 5G and data centers－will be a key step to inject new impetus into the economy.

"It will help offset short-term downside pressure and this considerable increase in investment will play a prominent role in fueling economic growth," Xie said at a news conference in Beijing. "In the long run, new infrastructure construction will foster new growth drivers to develop the digital economy and promote high-quality development."