China will this year grant temporary 5G licenses to promote the application and construction of fifth-generation mobile communication technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the country's top industry regulator, said on Thursday.

Miao Wei, minister of Industry and Information Technology, said the licenses will be allocated in a number of cities to enable the large-scale construction of 5G networks in key regions.

The ministry will also accelerate efforts to push forward the development of 5G hardware, including smartphones, Miao said in an interview with China Central Television on Thursday.

On top of speeding up consumer applications, China will also expedite the use of the superfast technology in education, medical care, eldercare and other sectors, as part of its broader push to lead the global race toward commercializing 5G.