Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Xie Shaofeng, chief engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)

Mr. Xie Cun, director general of the Information and Communications Development Department of the MIIT

Ms. Tao Qing, spokesperson of the MIIT and director general of the Bureau of Operation Monitoring and Coordination of the MIIT 

Chairperson:

Mr. Zhou Jianshe, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

April 18, 2025

Zhou Jianshe:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today's conference is a routine release of economic data. We have invited Mr. Xie Shaofeng, chief engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), to brief you on China's development of industry and information technology in the first quarter of 2025 and take your questions. Also joining us today are Ms. Tao Qing, spokesperson of the MIIT and director general of the Bureau of Operation Monitoring and Coordination of the MIIT; and Mr. Xie Cun, director general of the Information and Communications Development Department of the MIIT.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Xie for his introduction.

Xie Shaofeng:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. First, I would like to thank you for your continued interest in and support for the development of the industry and information technology sector.

Since the beginning of this year, faced with a more severe and complex external environment, under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the MIIT has thoroughly implemented the guiding principles of the Central Economic Work Conference and the deployments of the Government Work Report. Focusing on the primary task of high-quality development and the key task of new industrialization, we have adhered to the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, and promoting stability through progress, actively working with various regions and departments to take the initiative and make proactive efforts. The development of industry and information technology has maintained sound momentum and the economy has continued its steady improvement. The industrial structure has continued to be optimized, and new quality productive forces have been fostered at a faster pace. The first quarter got off to a good start, laying a solid foundation for achieving this year's economic goals.

First, the national economy has witnessed sound momentum. We have promoted the accelerated implementation of existing policies and incremental policies. The added value of industries above designated size increased by 6.5% year on year in the first quarter, 0.8 percentage point faster than in the fourth quarter of last year. The equipment manufacturing industry saw good development, with sectors such as electronics, automobiles and electrical machinery providing notable momentum. In the first two months, the software and information technology service industry generated nearly 1.9 trillion yuan in revenue. In the first quarter, industry contributed 36.3% to overall economic growth, continuing to play its role as a stabilizer. Industrial private investment maintained double-digit growth, while business expectations improved, corporate profitability increased, and the number of industrial enterprises above designated size continued to rise. The manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) expanded for two consecutive months.

Second, development quality has continued to improve. We have accelerated the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, and fostered new quality productive forces. We have promoted the high-end, intelligent and green development of industry, and continuously enhanced the endogenous momentum of industrial transformation and upgrading. Breakthroughs have been made in landmark products such as humanoid robots, drones, X-ray fluorescence spectrometers, artificial intelligence (AI) agents, and cell and gene therapy drugs. The technology transaction market has remained vibrant. A total of 168,000 technology contracts were registered nationwide, with a transaction volume of over 1.2 trillion yuan, up 10.8% year on year. AI technology has developed rapidly, with the large-scale deployment of autonomous AI models in key industrial fields accelerating. Innovative products such as "AI+" have achieved faster breakthroughs. New intelligent terminal products such as AI-powered cellphones, computers and televisions are entering people's daily lives. We have improved quality and efficiency in fostering smart factories in tiers. More than 30,000 basic-level, 1,200 advanced-level and 230 excellence-level smart factories have been established nationwide, covering over 80% of major manufacturing sectors. The excellence-level intelligent factories have shortened the R&D cycle of products by 28.4% on average, and increased production efficiency by an average of 22.3%. Industry has achieved remarkable results in green and low-carbon transformation, with advances steadily made in energy-saving and carbon-reduction renovations in key industries. We have boosted the promotion and application of advanced green and low-carbon technologies and equipment, and continuously expanded application scenarios for new energy storage such as hydrogen energy. Energy consumption per unit of industrial added value in key industries above designated size continued to reduce.

Third, the digital industry has reached a new level. Digital technologies represented by 5G and large AI models have developed rapidly, with the digital industry achieving year-on-year business revenue growth of 8.2% in the first two months of this year. Network infrastructure capacity has continued to improve. As of the end of March, a total of 4.395 million 5G base stations had been built and put into operation, while the number of 10G passive optical network (PON) ports capable of providing gigabit network services reached 29.25 million. The 5G penetration rate reached 75.9%, and gigabit broadband users totaled 218 million.

Currently, the external environment has become increasingly complex, severe and uncertain. The global trade system and rules have been severely undermined, posing significant uncertainties for global economic and trade development and the stability of industrial and supply chains, while also impacting China's industrial development. However, we have the confidence and the strength to overcome the current difficulties. Our country has a complete industrial system, super-sized markets and well-developed information infrastructure. The industrial economy is resilient, full of potential and vibrant. The fundamentals of high-quality and stable economic development will remain unchanged, providing certainty to global industrial and supply chains.

Going forward, we will focus on managing our own affairs well, promoting reform through greater openness, and fostering win-win outcomes through cooperation. We will work to build a modern industrial system, promote the optimization and upgrading of traditional industries, nurture and expand emerging industries, and make forward-looking plans for future industries. We will promote the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces. We will improve the tiered cultivation system for enterprises, raising the standards in nurturing the specialized and sophisticated "little giant" firms that produce novel and unique products, and gazelle companies, while providing quality services to support the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We will ensure high-quality supply, advance the development of a unified national market, foster a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, and maintain the momentum of stable and positive development of the industrial economy.

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

Zhou Jianshe:

The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before asking your question.