The 2025 Mobile World Congress in Shanghai (MWC Shanghai) officially opened on June 18, 2025. Just before the event, Francesc Fajula, CEO of Mobile World Capital Barcelona, made his first visit to Taiwan and granted an exclusive interview to DIGITIMES. He shared his views on the Shanghai exhibition and emphasized Taiwan's critical role in the global technology ecosystem.
First impressions and strategic timing
Fajula explained that he specifically chose to visit Taiwan two days before the opening of MWC Shanghai to engage with Taiwanese semiconductor companies. Reflecting on his first impressions of Taiwan, he pointed out that Taiwan holds a uniquely important position in the global mobile innovation sector.
He stressed, "I usually say you cannot understand the world now, without understanding the role of Taiwan in everything."
Fajula further elaborated that the semiconductor industry is not only a pivotal player in the global tech sector but also serves as a medium for worldwide interaction and transactions, and Taiwan stands at the heart of this industry.
Taiwan's unique hardware advantage
He also highly praised Taiwan's talent pool, stating that Taiwan possesses unique talents capable of achieving what others cannot. He emphasized that although the world is striving to catch up with Taiwan in hardware manufacturing, it is an extremely difficult challenge.
Regarding future collaboration possibilities with Taiwan, he expressed hope to combine MWC's expertise in software with Taiwan's strengths in hardware development and innovation to forge "new relationships."
He specifically highlighted the Talent Arena digital talent event debuting at MWC Barcelona in 2025, viewing it as an excellent opportunity for Taiwanese companies to connect with global enterprises, and warmly invited Taiwanese businesses and organizations to participate.
MWC Shanghai breaks new ground
Fajula conveyed strong confidence in MWC Shanghai, noting that its scale has expanded year-over-year, and the 2025 edition is expected to break previous attendance records.
Discussing the focus areas of MWC Shanghai, Fajula observed that China is rapidly advancing in the communications field. This year's MWC Shanghai will particularly spotlight companies active in this domain, such as ZTE and Huawei. Additionally, he believes the automotive industry and artificial intelligence will play crucial roles at the event.
China's 5G momentum accelerates
On the first day of MWC Shanghai, GSMA director general Vivek Badrinath remarked during the opening speech that China has demonstrated tremendous potential in 5G. As of January 2025, China had more than 4.25 million 5G base stations, with projections reaching 4.5 million by year-end. In 2024, 5G connections exceeded one billion, accounting for over 50% of total connections in China.
Badrinath added that China's communications industry generated economic value worth US$1 trillion in 2024, with forecasts estimating this figure will rise to US$2 trillion by 2030. He expressed optimism about China's industrial potential in communications and stated that network infrastructure and communications investments are catalysts driving national economic growth.
The three-day event focuses on how 5G, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are reshaping various industries. Numerous tech companies will showcase cutting-edge innovations onsite, including fully autonomous driving technologies, aerial taxis, and humanoid robots.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
