BARCELONA, Spain -- GSMA opposes the fragmentation of 6G standards and will leverage international platforms including the Mobile World Congress (MWC) to advocate for unified standards, the association's Greater China chief Sihan Bo Chen told Xinhua in an interview.

"We firmly support standardization organizations in their efforts to unify global standards, as fragmentation is highly detrimental to users, the global economy, and industries," she said at this year's MWC in Barcelona, Spain, which runs from Feb 26 to 29.

She recalled the convergence of all standards through the long journey from 2G to 4G eras, and stressed that "5G has now emerged with a unified standard."

GSMA, which brings together more than 1,000 mobile operators and companies in the global mobile ecosystem and related industries, is the organizer of the MWC.

The number of Chinese exhibitors participating in the ongoing event is almost twice the figure from last year, Sihan Bo Chen said, adding that Chinese companies are playing an indispensable role and Chinese industries well represent the diversity in the mobile ecosystem.

"We are pleased to witness numerous enterprises, whether startups or large corporations, showcasing international innovative ideas and products," she added.

She said China has taken the lead in the global development of the 5G. "2024 marks the first year of 5G-Advanced's commercial use, and China is at the forefront to start the second stage of its 5G development, the 5G-Advanced."

She noted China's remarkable achievements in 5G deployment and its leading position in terms of the number of base stations, connections, and commercial applications. "China's advancements in 5G innovation and development serve as inspiration for other countries and regions worldwide."

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 latest data from the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed.