Speakers:
Xiao Yaqing, minister of industry and information technology
Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology
Tian Yulong, chief engineer and spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)
Chairperson:
Shou Xiaoli, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and SCIO spokesperson
Date:
Feb. 28, 2022
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press briefing being held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we have invited Mr. Xiao Yaqing, minister of industry and information technology, to brief you on promoting the steady operation and quality upgrading of industry and information and communication technologies (ICTs), and to answer your questions. We also have with us Mr. Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology, and Mr. Tian Yulong, chief engineer and spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
Now, I will give the floor to Mr. Xiao Yaqing.
Xiao Yaqing:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. I'd like to begin by thanking you for your attention and support for developing the industry and information technology sector. Together with my colleagues, I'm also glad to speak with you on promoting the steady operation and quality upgrading of industry and ICTs.
As we all know, 2021 was an extraordinary year, marking a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the country. Over the past year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Party and the country have achieved new and major achievements in various undertakings. China has taken a leading position in both economic development and pandemic control worldwide, and new steps have been taken to build a new development pattern. New results have been achieved in high-quality development, and the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan is off to a good start.
Earnestly carrying out decisions made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the MIIT has forged ahead, overcome difficulties, redoubled its efforts, and effectively responded to risks and challenges. Under the complex and severe situation, the outlook for the industry and information sector is positive, which has contributed to economic and social development. This is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
I. The industrial economy saw sustained recovery and development. Here are some figures:
First, the added value of industries above designated size increased by 9.6%, an increase of 6.8 percentage points over 2020, or an average two-year growth rate of 6.1%. Among them, the added value of the manufacturing industry increased by 9.8%, with an average two-year growth rate of 6.6%. The added value of the manufacturing industry accounted for 27.4% of GDP, with a total amount of 31.4 trillion yuan, ranking first in the world for 12 consecutive years.
Second, the profits of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 34.3%, an increase of 30.2 percentage points over the previous year, or an average two-year growth rate of 18.2%.
Third, the national industrial capacity utilization rate came in at 77.5%. This is a relatively high level for recent years.
II. The resilience of the supply and industrial chains has been improved. Efforts have been made to solve problems that affect industrial chains and supply chains, and key industrial chains remain safe and stable. The international competitiveness of industrial chains in areas such as photovoltaics, wind power and shipping have been further enhanced. The volume of containers, once in shortage, more than doubled last year, up by 110.6%. Chip production also rose by 33.3%. The export delivery value of industrial enterprises above designated size logged a year-on-year increase of 17.7% and a two-year average increase of 8.3%, which is a high level for recent years. Exports of China's industrial products have made an important contribution to the response to the COVID-19, maintaining the stability and smoothness of the global industrial and supply chains, and promoting the recovery and growth of the global industrial economy.
III. The industrial structure was further optimized and upgraded. This can be seen from three aspects:
First, the leading role of the high-tech manufacturing industry and equipment manufacturing industry has been significantly enhanced, with the added value increasing by 18.2% and 12.9%, respectively. Their contribution rates to the growth of the above-scale industry reached 28.6% and 45%, respectively.
Second, the pace of digital and green transformation of the manufacturing industry has accelerated, and new progress has been made in cluster development. The numerical control rate of key processes of above designated size in key areas was 55.3%, and the penetration rate of digital research and development and design tools was 74.7%. All indicators showed a positive trend. We can also see that energy consumption of the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size decreased by 5.6% year on year, which is also good news.
Third, the guiding role of leading enterprises has been significantly enhanced, and the development pace of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that focus on specialization, refinement, uniqueness and innovation has been accelerated. We have incubated more than 40,000 enterprises that focus on specialization, refinement, uniqueness and innovation, over 4,700 "little giant" enterprises, and more than 800 single-product specialists in the manufacturing industry.
IV. New achievements have been made in the innovation and development of key areas, and new breakthroughs have been made in major technological innovations. The Tianwen-1 probe completed orbiting, landing and roving during an exploration mission to Mars, the Shenzhou-12 and Shenzhou-13 manned spaceships were successfully launched, and the Haidou-1 submersible broke many world records. The demonstration plant of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor was connected to the grid for the first time to generate electricity, and research into new types of displays, machine tools, new materials and other fields has achieved phased results. All of these have strongly supported the development of the industrial economy. Industrial robots and solar cells increased by 44.9% and 42.1% year on year, respectively, and the production and sales of new energy vehicles increased by 1.6 times year on year.
V. New progress has been made in the high-quality development of the information and communications industry. The construction of new information infrastructure has been intensified. A total of more than 1.43 million 5G base stations have been set up and opened, and the number of 5G mobile phone terminal connections has reached 520 million. Full 5G coverage has been achieved across all venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics, providing strong support for the creation of an intelligent Winter Olympics. Spectators found that these measures greatly improved the viewing experience. 5G applications are also rapidly expanding in such fields as industry, energy and transportation, empowering thousands of industries. New formats and models have emerged one after another. The digital economy is showing a strong growth momentum. For the past year, the business revenue of the communications industry, and software and information technology services industry increased by 8% and 17.7%, respectively. All these provide the basis for us to stabilize the industrial economy throughout the year, and also lay a good foundation for this year.
While seeing achievements, we also clearly realize that there are still many problems. For example, the core competitiveness of the manufacturing industry is not strong enough, the quality of the supply system needs to be improved, and there are still many problems related to the security and stability of the industrial chain and supply chain. In particular, the current external environment is more complex, severe, and uncertain, and domestic development is also facing the triple pressure of demand decrease, supply shock, and weakening expectations. The difficulties and challenges faced by the development of industrialization and informatization have increased. We will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and deeply understand the decisive significance of the "Two Establishments," keep in mind "the Nation's Most Fundamental Interests," strengthen the "Four Awarenesses," adhere to the "Four Confidences," achieve the "Two Upholds," carry forward the great founding spirit of the CPC, conscientiously implement the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new concept for development, build a new development pattern, and promote high-quality development. We will uphold the supply-side structural reforms as the main task, coordinate the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control as well as economic and social development, and coordinate the development and security, implement the tasks of "Six Stabilities" and "Six Guarantees," and put the stable growth of the industry in an important position, focus on boosting the industrial economy, and especially, go all-out to achieve a stable continuity in the first quarter and promote the smooth running of the industrial economy. We will focus on promoting innovations and breakthroughs in basic and key areas, further enhance the resilience of the industrial and supply chains, and focus on increasing relief assistance to SMEs, foster enterprises to become ones with high growth potential, advanced technology and strong market competitive edge, continue to stimulate the vitality of market players. We will focus on strengthening the construction and application of new information infrastructure and improve the supply capacity of information and communication services. We will focus on promoting the in-depth development of the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry, and enhance the new advantages and new dynamic of industrial development. We will focus on the implementation of work for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, implement the carbon peaking action in the industrial field, and improve the level of green and low-carbon development of the industry. We will follow the requirements of "Three Stricts and Three Earnests," and do a solid job of implementing each work one by one, promote the smooth operation and quality upgrading of industrialization and informatization, keep the proportion of the manufacturing industry basically stable, and enhance the core competitiveness of the manufacturing industry and build a solid economic "ballast stone." We will welcome the successful convention of the 20th CPC National Congress with excellent achievements.
Above is my brief introduction, and then my colleagues and I will answer the questions from you.
