Yicai:

I would like to ask the MIIT: How has the development of China's software industry progressed this year? What plans does the MIIT have to promote high-quality development in the software industry? Thank you.

Tao Qing:

Thank you for your questions. Software is the very soul of next-generation information technology. It serves as an important foundation for the development of the digital economy and is a key pillar in strengthening China's capacities in manufacturing, cyberspace, and digital development. The software industry, as a whole, showcases stable growth, controllable risks, enhanced efficiency, and increased vitality. Its comprehensive strength has reached a new level.

In the first three quarters of this year, China's software and information technology service industry demonstrated steady performance, with software business revenue maintaining rapid growth. From January to August, the software sector's business revenue surpassed 7.5 trillion yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 13.5%. This growth has been sustained in double digits for 10 consecutive months. The influence of industrial clusters is evident as software business revenue from China's renowned software cities contributes to approximately 80% of national software business revenue. Acceleration in key software innovation is evident, software application promotion continues to deepen, and the nurturing of emerging business models has yielded positive outcomes.

Going forward, we will thoroughly implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. We'll steadily advance the implementation of the national software development strategy. By adhering to the industrial development principles of application-led growth, innovative drive, and ecological cultivation, we aim to accelerate the software industry's high-quality development. We are committed to achieving the following tasks:

First, we will enhance the top-level design. We will implementing policies to promote the high-quality development of the integrated circuit industry and software industry in the new era and accelerate the implementation of relevant measures represented by the 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Software and Information Technology Service Industries, and intensify efforts in its follow-up work and relevant evaluations. 

Second, we will accelerate the application of software. We will adhere to an application-driven approach, promote institutional innovations, focus on the needs of typical application scenarios, and enhance the alignment of software supply and demand, so as to create a virtuous cycle featuring supply-demand synergy and iterative self-consistency.

Third, we will step up efforts to achieve technological breakthroughs. We will uphold innovation-driven concepts, concentrate our strengths, innovate models, and work on making technological breakthroughs in core technologies of key software. This will involve shoring up weak links, cultivating advantages, and improving the technological supply competence of key industries.

Fourth, we will build open-source systems. We will reinforce the top-level design of open-source development. We will accelerate the construction of open-source foundations and rally a wide array of open-source forces. This effort aims to promote the development of platforms, communities, and agreements in open source, cultivate a batch of quality open-source projects, explore the commercial use of open-source products, and create a sound open-source cultural atmosphere. 

Fifth, we will optimize the industrial environment. We will build a cluster of high-quality software cities and parks across China and promote the development and upgrading of the software industry. We will also build a batch of specialized demonstrative software colleges at a high level to cultivate talents urgently needed in key software fields, strengthen the leading role of standards, improve the value of software, and enhance the protection of software intellectual property rights. Thank you.