Investments Accounted for Using the Equity Method - Details of Principal Associates (Detail)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co., Ltd. ("SPD Bank") [member]
Disclosure of associates [line items]
Place of incorporation	PRC
Place of establishment and operation	PRC
Proportion of ownership interest held by the Company or its subsidiary	18.00%	18.00%
Principal activity	Provision of banking services
China Tower Corporation Limited (China Tower) [member]
Disclosure of associates [line items]
Place of incorporation	PRC
Place of establishment and operation	PRC
Proportion of ownership interest held by the Company or its subsidiary	28.00%	28.00%
Principal activity	Provision of construction, maintenance and operation of telecommunications towers
IFLYTEK Co., Ltd. ("IFLYTEK") [member]
Disclosure of associates [line items]
Place of incorporation	PRC
Place of establishment and operation	PRC
Proportion of ownership interest held by the Company or its subsidiary	12.00%	13.00%
Principal activity	Provision of intelligent voice and artificial intelligence products and services
True Corporation Public Company Limited ("True Corporation") [member]
Disclosure of associates [line items]
Place of incorporation	Thailand
Place of establishment and operation	Thailand
Proportion of ownership interest held by the Company or its subsidiary	18.00%	18.00%
Principal activity	Provision of telecommunications services

The country in which an associate of the entity is incorporated. [Refer: Associates [member]]

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