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Speakers:

Mr. Jin Zhuanglong, minister of industry and information technology 

Mr. Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology 

Mr. Tian Yulong, chief engineer and spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)

Chairperson:

Ms. Shou Xiaoli, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

March 1, 2023

Shou Xiaoli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to the press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the sixth press conference in the series "Embarking on the New journey — A Government Perspective." We have invited Mr. Jin Zhuanglong, minister of industry and information technology, to brief you on promoting new industrialization to bolster the real economy, and to take your questions. Also present at today's press conference are Mr. Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology, and Mr. Tian Yulong, chief engineer and spokesperson of the MIIT.

Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Jin Zhuanglong for his introduction.

Jin Zhuanglong:

Friends from the media, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Thank you for your long-term interest in China's industrial development as well as your care and support for the MIIT. Today, my two colleagues and I will talk with you about implementing the major decisions and arrangements of the 20th CPC National Congress and promoting new industrialization to bolster the real economy.

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress draws a grand blueprint for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. It states that China will basically achieve new industrialization by 2035. It also underlines that in pursuing economic growth, we must continue to focus on the real economy and that we will advance new industrialization and move faster to boost China's strength in manufacturing and cyberspace . Made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core based on the overall development of the Party and state, the major strategic arrangement of advancing new industrialization is of great and profound significance. In my opinion, advancing new industrialization is a natural requirement for realizing a Chinese path to modernization, a fundamental support for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country, an urgent need to build up competitive edges as a major country, and a strategic choice to realize high-quality economic growth. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China's new industrialization has been developing at a markedly faster pace. I will brief you on this from five aspects:

First, the industrial system has been further improved. China boasts 41 major industrial categories, 207 intermediate industrial categories and 666 small industrial categories, being the only country in the world that has all the industrial categories in the United Nation's International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities . 

Second, the industrial scale has been further expanded. In 2022, the total value-added of industry exceeded the 40 trillion yuan mark, accounting for 33.2% of GDP. Therefore, we often say that industry serves as a ballast of macroeconomic performance. Specifically, the value-added of manufacturing made up 27.7% of GDP and the manufacturing scale has topped the world for 13 consecutive years. A total of 65 Chinese manufacturing enterprises made it onto the 2022 Fortune Global 500 list, and China now has more than 70,000 small- and medium-sized specialized and sophisticated enterprises that produce new and unique products. 

Third, the industrial structure has been constantly optimized. The high-tech manufacturing industry and equipment manufacturing industry accounted for 15.5% and 31.8% of the value-added of industries above designated size, respectively. The output of new-energy vehicles and photovoltaic power has topped the world for many years in a row. The transformation and upgrading of traditional industries has been accelerated, with marked progress being made in their digital and green transformations. A total of 45 national advanced manufacturing clusters have been fostered. 

Fourth, the digital economy has been growing at a faster pace. China's mobile communications have made leapfrog developments by following other countries in 2G, making breakthroughs in 3G, keeping pace with the rest of the world in 4G, and securing a leading position in 5G. Currently, China has built the world's largest mobile communications network with advanced technology. As of the end of 2022, China had built a total of 2.31 million 5G base stations. Thanks to this, all counties in China can now access 5G services and all villages can access broadband internet. Data centers in use nationwide now have more than 6.5 million standard racks, with the total computing power ranking second in the world. The numerical control rate of key processes and the penetration rate of R&D and design tools for digital transformation in key industrial enterprises reached 58.6% and 77%, respectively. In 2022, the income of the software industry exceeded 10 trillion yuan, and the industrial internet was applied in 45 major categories of the national economy, with the number of influential industrial internet platforms reaching 240.  

Fifth, a series of major advances has been secured in key areas. One achievement after another has been made in such fields as manned spaceflight, lunar and Martian exploration, and deep sea and deep earth probes . The first C919 large passenger airliner was delivered, the first self-developed F-class 50 megawatts heavy-duty gas turbine was ignited, and nuclear power units using Hualong One technology were connected to the grid and started operation.  

Currently, new industrialization also faces new situations in its development: a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation has advanced by leaps and bounds, the global industrial structure and layout have undergone profound changes, and China is at a crucial juncture of moving from a big manufacturer to a strong manufacturer. We will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and thoroughly implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. We will act on the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, apply the new development philosophy, create a new development pattern, and promote high-quality development. We will coordinate development and security, make solid progress in advancing new industrialization, move faster to boost China's strength in manufacturing and cyberspace, and continuously lay a solid material and technological foundation for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country. This work will focus on six aspects:

First, we will promote the stable growth of the industrial economy. We will earnestly implement the policy package aimed at stabilizing the economy and the related follow-up measures. Our primary focus should be on stabilizing the growth of key industries, which contributes significantly to GDP. Meanwhile, we will also give better play to key areas and better leverage the anchor role of industries in stabilizing the macroeconomy.

Second, we will accelerate the modernization of the industrial system mainly through four aspects. Specifically, we need to transform and upgrade traditional industries because they account for a significant proportion of all industrial sectors. In addition, we need to cement the leading position of several competitive industries in China, develop emerging industries, and make forward-looking plans for future-oriented industries.

Third, we will enhance the resilience and security capacity of industrial and supply chains. We will work to shore up weak links, leverage advantages, and strengthen the development foundation. We will see that key industrial and supply chains are more self-sufficient and that their risks are better controlled while promoting the development of all industrial chains.

Fourth, we will improve the mechanism for industrial sci-tech innovation. The relations among science and technologies, industries, finance and innovation have become a common concern, and we need to strengthen collaboration in these aspects. We will promote breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields and comprehensively stimulate the drive for innovation and entrepreneurship. We will also build several innovation centers for the manufacturing sector, develop several advanced manufacturing clusters, and facilitate the in-depth integration among links concerning innovation, industrial development, capital and talents.

Fifth, we will focus on promoting high-end, intelligent, and green manufacturing. We will strengthen brand building as well as carry out smart manufacturing projects. We will also expedite the construction and application of new types of information infrastructure and promote the green and low-carbon development of industries proactively and steadily.

Sixth, we will comprehensively improve the competitiveness of enterprises. Enterprises are the main body of the market. We will support leading enterprises in improving development quality, nurture more specialized and sophisticated small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that produce new and unique products, and create a fine ecosystem where businesses of all sizes can pursue development through collaboration.

That concludes my brief introduction. Next, my colleagues and I will take your questions. Thank you.