BEIJING -- China has established the world's largest 5G test field in the race to standardize the mobile communication technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said Friday.

Industry giants including Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp are participating in the test programs at the outdoor test site in Huairou district, Beijing.

The tests, set between 2016 and 2018, will include three stages for key technology verification, technological solution verification and system verification respectively, said Zhang Feng, chief engineer of the MIIT.

The second stage of tests has begun after the first stage verified the feasibility of essential techniques.

China has started preparation early for the 5G network, establishing the IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group in February 2013 to coordinate efforts by mobile service operators, manufacturers and research institutes.

Years of investment has put China in pole position to formulate the industry standard and reap the benefits of a network that provides much faster connectivity and lower energy consumption.

China aims to commercialize 5G mobile networks as early as 2020.