China Daily：

We noticed that the ministry recently rolled out a series of policies and measures to pursue the green development of the manufacturing industry. What have been the results in this regard? And what are the plans for the next steps? Thank you.

Tao Qing:

Thank you for your questions. Pursuing green and low-carbon growth is in line with the trend of technological revolution and industrial transformation. The ministry has fully implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, worked faster to build a modernized industrial system, and made achievements in moving the manufacturing sector toward greener production.

In terms of utilization of resources and energy, we have significantly improved the energy efficiency of products. China's steel, primary aluminum, cement clinker, and other industries have achieved significant improvements in unit product energy efficiency. The energy consumption structure has continued to be optimized. We have promoted a batch of typical application scenarios and cases for industrial green microgrids in key industries and sectors such as steel, petrochemicals, and chemicals.

In terms of product structure, we have continuously enhanced the capacities of green products. The proportion of advanced manufacturing and the supply capacity of green technical equipment and products have increased markedly. For example, in the first quarter, the production and sales of new energy vehicles were 2.115 million and 2.09 million, respectively, a year-on-year increase of 28.2% and 31.8%, with the market share reaching 31.1%.

In terms of green manufacturing, we have given full play to the leading and guiding role of relevant enterprises. At present, at the national level, a total of 5,095 green factories, 371 green industrial parks, 605 green supply chain management companies, and more than 500 green manufacturing professional service institutions have been built.

In terms of cultivating new driving forces, we have moved faster to set up a layout for the development of the future-oriented industries. In industrial sectors, application scenarios have been enriched in the hydrogen energy industry and the new type of power storage technologies. China's first 10,000-tonne demonstration project in green hydrogen industry was built and put into operation. The first million-tonne hydrogen-based shaft furnace in the steel industry successfully ignited and started production.

Next, we will further implement the arrangements on fully pursuing green growth of the industrial sector made at the national meeting on promoting new industrialization, as well as focus on forging new advantages in green development of the industry and creating a number of green manufacturing industry benchmarks. We will focus on three aspects.

First, we will speed up green and low-carbon transformation and upgrading in traditional industries. Efforts will be made to encourage large-scale equipment renewal and trade-in of consumer goods and guide enterprises, industrial parks, and key industries to promote a new round of green and low-carbon technological transformation. We will accelerate the adjustments and optimization of product mix, energy consumption structure and raw materials mix of traditional industries, and speed up their process reengineering, with a view to enhancing the competitiveness of industries. 

Second, we will promote green, low-carbon, and forward-looking growth of emerging industries. Efforts will be made to guide information and technological infrastructure like data centers and base stations to expand the use of green energy. For example, we will accelerate the comprehensive utilization of new-type solid waste, such as decommissioned batteries, photovoltaic modules, and wind turbine rotor blades. Focusing on the realization of peaking carbon dioxide emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, we will lay out the development of future-oriented industries like hydrogen energy, energy storage, biomanufacturing, and carbon capture, utilization and storage, in keeping with the trend of energy revolution and industrial transformation.

Third, we will cultivate new business forms in green manufacturing. Vigorous efforts will be stepped up to promote the deep integration of eco-friendly and digital practices, modern services and green manufacturing, and consumer' needs for green consumption and the supply of sustainable products. We will work hard to cultivate new business forms and foster new growth drivers. Thank you.