China News Service:

There are some data on the typical aspects of China's cultivation of green manufacturing in Chapter 4 of the white paper. My question relates to China's green manufacturing system, which has been developing since the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period. How is it progressing? What is its special significance to China's green development? How will you further promote green manufacturing? Thank you.

Xin Guobin:

Thank you for your question. With the support and coordination of relevant departments, we have continued to develop a green manufacturing system focused on energy saving, emission reduction and efficiency enhancement, driven by major projects and linked through the construction of green factories, green industrial chains, and green industrial parks since the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period. China hosts a total of 2,783 green factories, 296 green supply chain management enterprises, and 223 green industrial parks, and has promoted nearly 20,000 green products. According to preliminary calculations, more than 95% of solid waste at the green industrial parks have been utilized. The energy consumption level of many green factories is better than the advanced value of the national energy consumption quota standard, and a whole-chain green product supply system from basic raw materials to terminal consumer goods has been gradually established.

As for its special significance for green development, we understand the following aspects: First, green manufacturing is an inherent requirement for promoting high-quality manufacturing development and building a modern industrial system. Second, green manufacturing is the fundamental way to break the bottleneck of resource and environmental constraints and realize sustainable development. Third, green manufacturing is a strong guarantee for promoting the economical and intensive use of resources and achieving safe development. Fourth, green manufacturing is an inevitable choice to conform to the trend of technological progress and promote the optimization and upgrading of the economic structure. Fifth, green manufacturing is also an important means of meeting people's growing demands for a beautiful ecological environment and promoting harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

Next, we will fully implement the decisions and arrangements of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, and advance green manufacturing in the following five aspects: 

First, improve the green manufacturing and service system. We will draw up guidelines for accelerating the green, high-quality development of the manufacturing sector in accordance with new circumstances and tasks. We will make coordinated arrangements to promote green manufacturing and establish a mechanism for cultivating benchmarking enterprises in an incremental manner. 

Second, establish a policy system for green and low-carbon upgrading. We will continue to advance reduction of carbon emissions and pollution, green expansion, and economic growth in a coordinated manner and fully use fiscal, tax, financial, and other policy resources of the central and local governments to form a multi-tiered, diversified and packaged system of supporting policies. Such a system will support and guide enterprises in carrying out green and low-carbon upgrading and transformation.

Third, stress the guiding role of green and low-carbon standards. We will formulate guidelines for green and low-carbon standardization in industry and information technology to fully play the role of standardization technical organizations in various industries and speed up the formulation and revision of relevant standards.

Fourth, establish a guiding mechanism for digitally enabled green manufacturing. We will accelerate the coordinated transformation of digitalization and greening and promote the application of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, digital twins, and other next-generation information technologies in manufacturing.

Fifth, deepen international exchange and cooperation mechanisms for green manufacturing. Relying on existing multilateral and bilateral cooperation mechanisms, we will strengthen communication and exchanges on green and low-carbon technology innovation, outcome applications, policies and standards, and pragmatically advance cooperation and development. Thank you.