The Chinese government's strict policies on the separate operation of telecommunications and broadcasting networks have recently shown some sign of loosening. On its website, the National Development and Reform Commission recently published its China informatization policy research for the 11th Five Year Plan, which for the first time clearly acknowledges that as the convergence of broadband, telecommunications, and broadcasting is an irreversible trend, pointing to broadband as the fundamental delivery mechanism for phone calls, cable television programs, and data networking.

Major arguments against the strict separation currently enforced were raised back in 1998, when it was proposed that an FCC-like entity be established to combine the Ministry of Information Industry and The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. However, the proposal was drowned out with the split-up of China Telecom.