“AI is transforming business and society around the world. China is at the forefront of innovation.” - John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd. during MWC25 Shanghai’s opening keynote
Wednesday 18th June
Opening day highlights
During the Opening Ceremony and Keynotes 1 & 2 we heard from: Yang Jie, Executive Director & Chairman of China Mobile; Zhiyong Zhang, Chairman of China Tower; Eric Xu, Deputy Chairman & Rotating Chairman of Huawei; Zhang Xiaoyu, Executive Vice President of Changan Automobile; Liu Jun, Executive Vice President & President of Lenovo China; Anna Yip, CEO of International Digital Services of Singtel; Li Cui, Chiefs Li Development Officer of ZTE Corporation.
Vivek Badrinath, General Director of GSMA, set the tone with a clear call to action on the completion of 5G before prematurely focusing on 6G: “Infrastructure, investment and innovation are the foundations of connectivity progress. Get them right, and we unlock the future. While 6G is exciting, we must focus on completing the 5G journey first.”
A heavyweight lineup hits the stage
The opening day of MWC25 Shanghai drew a packed audience at the opening ceremony, as speakers gathered to debate connectivity and China’s leadership in 5G. Dignitaries delivered speeches including H.E. Wang Jingtao, Vice Minister, Cyberspace Administration of China, and H.E. Chen Jie, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, Vice Mayor of Shanghai.
John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd. celebrated China becoming the very first country to launch one-time password API, while Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA talked about completing the 5G journey before turning attention to 6G.
Come for the innovation playground at 4YFN
Step into Hall N2 and it’s clear that 4YFN Shanghai is a tech lover’s playground. From human-like robots that talk and do the housework, to startups working on wireless communication R&D that pushes boundaries, this is where China’s innovation edge is on full display.
Pudong Speed - Robotaxi Showcase: The Future of Urban Travel!
Get ready to zip around Shanghai in a self-driving car - at the autonomous driving shuttle event by the Pudong Government, featuring Baidu's latest L4 driverless taxi. Using slick AI, it can handle everything from obstacle avoidance to navigating tricky intersections. Catch the action in the Pudong High-Level Autonomous Driving Pioneer Area (Future Tech Hall, Hall N1, Gate 44). You can hop on for a ride to Biyun Community and Century Park in just 15 to 20 minutes. Check out this video from Mobile World Live’s Justin Springham of his ride in the taxi.
Robots, VR, and flying cars in the GSMA Innovation Frontier Zone
Things get futuristic fast at the new GSMA Innovation Frontier Zone. Discover Unitree’s gravity-defying agile robots, AutoFlight’s Shenglong eVTOL ‘air taxi’ hints at the future of urban mobility, and Pony.ai’s VR lets you ride along in their driverless robotaxis navigating the streets of Beijing and Guangzhou. A must-visit.
Tackling climate and connectivity at the Mobile Net Zero media roundtable
Steven Moore, Head of Climate Action at the GSMA and ZTE’s Han Jingyun led a frank discussion with media on carbon emissions and mindset shifts needed to drive progress. Their message? Headlines like "energy efficiency" are just the start, we need action to match the ambition. Click here to read the press release.
Agentic AI for Telecom
Mark your calendar for June 19, 17:15–17:45 at the GSMA Pavilion (Hall N2 Stand B80), where the GSMA launches its new white paper: Agentic AI for Telecom. It unpacks how AI agents can reshape telecom, from enhancing efficiency and delivering personalised experiences.
Thursday 19th June
AI innovation takes centre stage
Today’s keynote 3 “AI Innovation and Impact” brought together Bo Gao, Managing Director of AI Club Asia; Steven Hoi, Vice President of Alibaba Group; Shaun Collins, Chairman of CCS Insight; James Li, CEO of HONOR; Dan Zhuang, Executive Director and President of YOFC. The message was clear: AI is evolving fast, and it's time to think beyond tools and toward embedded, action-oriented AI that proactively delivers results.
HONOR CEO James Li outlined three big changes in AI implementation: from model capability to real-world implementation, from passive tools to active results, and from cloud computing to embedded AI across devices. Meanwhile, Alibaba’s Steven Hoi championed large multimodal models as the next wave, especially native models that combine understanding with generative ability.
AI empowered telecom sector
At the AI Summit, Bill Chang, CEO of Digital InfraCo of Singtel and Yulia Chernyadyeva, EVP of Nokia Shanghai Bell Co., Ltd. unpacked the role of AI in transforming telecoms. Chang highlighted Singtel’s unique position, including using users, enablers, and providers of AI to amplify value throughout the supply chain, while Chernyadyeva positioned AI as a “technical labour and market consultant” to close skills gaps in China’s Industry 4.0 push.
The GSMA also launched its new white paper: Agentic AI for Telecom at the GSMA Pavilion. Find out how AI agents can reshape telecom, from enhancing efficiency and delivering user experiences.
API meets AI at Open Gateway Roundtable
Justin Paul, Paresh Modi and Hong Liu at GSMA joined Andre Burgoa of Aduna for a deep dive on how Chinese operators are leading API deployment. With standout examples like China Telecom’s TeleAI platform, which has introduced APIs to prevent IoT SIM fraud through device-to-card binding and geographic restrictions. Already in use with over 30 million cards, these APIs help secure sectors like banking by enabling alerts, risk control, and compliance checks.
And the Asia Mobile Award goes to…
The region’s standout innovations were honoured in a ceremony that spotlighted leadership in AI, 5G, and climate tech.
- Asia 5G Industry Innovation Award: Bridge Alliance's Bax Geo 5G Standalone Networking Project
- Best AI Innovation Award: China Mobile and Huawei's AI Core Network Deployment
- Best Mobile Innovation for Climate Action: China Mobile and ZTE's AI-Driven Green Telecom "Triple Green Plan"
- Disruptive Device Innovation: Huawei Mate XT Ultimate
- Asia’s Best Smartphone: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Just announced: HONOR Magic V5 foldable drops July 2
During MWC25 Shanghai, HONOR CEO James Li teased the official reveal date for its Magic V5 foldable phone, dropping 2 July in China.
Newly launched GSMA M360 ASEAN and Digital Nation Summit
During a signing ceremony today, the GSMA and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) confirmed that Kuala Lumpur will host two flagship GSMA events: the Digital Nation Summit on 23 September 2025, and the inaugural M360 ASEAN in 2026.
John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer at the GSMA, said: “Hosting both this year’s Digital Nation Summit and next year’s M360 ASEAN in Malaysia underscores our strong support for the region’s 2045 vision... We’re excited to launch the inaugural M360 ASEAN in Kuala Lumpur in 2026.”
Friday 20th June
Inside China’s eSIM evolution
The final day of MWC25 Shanghai played host to the much anticipated eSIM Summit, where a diverse lineup of experts from the GSMA, Redtea Mobile, STMicroelectronics, Telenor IoT, HED, Valid, China Unicom and more, came together to explore China’s journey with eSIM and its growing impact on both consumer and IoT markets globally.
While technical and regulatory challenges persist, the energy in the room was one of momentum and optimism. Attendees heard how eSIM is:
- Powering digital transformation across consumer and IoT markets
- Strengthening smart connectivity through built-in security
- Driving major growth in China – eSIM Pad sales are up 30x, and eSIM watch and IoT devices 10x, according to China Unicom
Climate & Sustainability Summit: Mobile Net Zero in the spotlight
Over on the Connected Stage, the conversation shifted to climate action, as the GSMA’s George Kamiya and Steven Moore joined ESG leaders from Climate Bridge, Sina Finance, China Telecom, and Honor to unpack the innovations and policies driving China’s green transition.
From ESG frameworks to energy-efficient networks, the call to action at this year’s Climate & Sustainability Summit was crystal clear: real progress will come from cross-industry collaboration and bold innovation.
Just announced: China Mobile × Honor to launch AI phone
MWC25 Shanghai saved one of its biggest partnership announcements till last: China Mobile and Honor are set to team up on AI terminals, with their first co-developed AI phone due for launch in August – representing a major milestone in the AI-device ecosystem.
Analyst insights: What’s next for mobile and mobility?
MWC25 Shanghai was packed with many thought-provoking discussions, from AI deployments to settling technology to automotive cars. It’s time to step back, take a breath, and unwind. Let’s hear the thoughts of industry analysts on the key trends to watch out for over the next 12 months:
“The impact of 5G technologies and AI on daily life will be significant. There’s so much happening that’s going to change how consumers interact with technology.” - Fanni Li, Principal Research Analyst at S&P Global Mobility
“We must collaborate with various stakeholders to build a robust ecosystem.” - Guang Yang, Senior Principal Analyst at Omdia