China is on pace to add some 600,000 5G base stations in 2022, helping the country solidify its position as the leading 5G nation.

China jumped to an early lead in the 5G race and, according to Tech Wire Asia, the country is planning some major expansion in 2022, adding some 600,000 base stations. The country already has 5G coverage in every major city, as well as 87% of rural areas, far ahead of the US and many other countries.

The additional 600,000 stations will bring the country’s total to 2 million. The expansion should add to the coverage, speed, and reliability of China’s 5G network.

This is likely to further increase concerns over the slow pace of 5G deployment in the US, something that has already been at the center of discourse and discussion. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has been a critic of the US 5G rollout for some time.

“China is 10x ahead of us in the 5G space. We’ve ceded semiconductor leadership to East Asia. This is a national emergency. We must take action now if we want to maintain U.S. competitiveness in the future.”

-Eric Schmidt (@ericschmidt), March 7, 2021

More recently, Schmidt co-authored an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal saying that 5G should be a “national priority” for the US.