(Yicai Global) Nov. 28 -- China Telecom Corporation Ltd. [HKG:0728], one of the three largest state-owned telecom operators in China, signed a second phase cooperation agreement in Beijing with China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) to further expand their bilateral cooperation, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission said in a statement on its website today.

The two parties will deepen cooperation in 5G, smart manufacturing, cloud computing and Big Data, network and information security, the Internet of Things (IOT), blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and smart city to jointly promote industrial development, research and formulate industry standards and explore research and development of key technologies.

China Telecom is a comprehensive intelligent information service operator and one of the largest fiber optic network operators in the world with the ability to provide cross-region and cross-domain integrated information services and customer services to customers worldwide.

CAICT, a research institute directly under China's ministry of industry and information technology, plays an important supporting role in formulation of major strategies, planning, policy, standards and testing and certification of telecommunications industry.