Chinese state telecoms' 5G investment tops out while dividends surge

Capex to decline further as government pushes for enhanced market values

20240326 China Mobile 5G .jpg

Capital investment in 5G networks by Chinese state-owned telecom operators has peaked. (Photo by Kenji Kawase)

KENJI KAWASE, Nikkei Asia chief business news correspondent

HONG KONG -- The total capital investment by three Chinese state telecom operators hit a peak last year, with the focus of cash distributions shifting further toward dividend payments at the urging of the government.

Capital expenditures in 2023 by the trio -- China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom -- and their jointly invested affiliate China Tower totaled 385 billion yuan ($53.3 billion), an increase of 2% compared with the year before. However, their combined capex plans for 2024 add up to about 366 billion yuan, a decline of 5%.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.