On April 18, the Information Office of The State Council held a press conference to introduce the development of industry and information technology in the first quarter of 2024. Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Shan Zhongde disclosed at the meeting that the scale of China's intelligent manufacturing equipment industry has reached over 3.2 trillion yuan.

The first is to intensify technological research and development. We need to develop intelligent manufacturing processes, intelligent manufacturing equipment, intelligent products and software systems, and promote technological breakthroughs in industrial robots, intelligent inspection equipment and additive manufacturing equipment. At the same time, efforts should be made to achieve innovative breakthroughs in the integration and connection of processes, equipment and software in areas such as digitalization of processes, intelligence of equipment, quality inspection and supply chain collaboration. The scale of China's intelligent manufacturing equipment industry has reached over 3.2 trillion yuan.

The second is to enhance the supply of solutions. To develop intelligent manufacturing, especially to promote the digital and intelligent transformation and development of enterprises, there needs to be a group of service providers. We have focused on cultivating over 150 system solution providers with a main business income of over 1 billion yuan. The system integration capabilities in fields such as steel, petrochemicals, and lithium batteries have reached the international advanced level. Major breakthroughs have also been made in solutions such as mixed-line flexible production, integrated processing and testing, and high-precision and high-reliability assembly. The number of enterprises empowered has exceeded 3,400.

The third is to strengthen leading and exemplary role. In collaboration with four departments including the National Development and Reform Commission, we have implemented the pilot demonstration action for intelligent manufacturing for three consecutive years. As I mentioned earlier, we have cultivated 421 national-level demonstration factories, over ten thousand provincial-level digital workshops and intelligent factories. Technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital twins have been applied in over 90% of these demonstration factories.

Fourth, strengthen the formulation of standards. The Standardization Administration of China has released the National Guidelines for the construction of the intelligent Manufacturing standard system. A total of 408 national standards have been issued and 48 international standards have been led in formulation, promoting the standardization, normalization and systematization of intelligent manufacturing.

Next, on the basis of the current work, several aspects of work will be done well.

The first is to strengthen application-driven development. We will further promote the construction of smart factories and intelligent supply chains. Carry out the "Artificial Intelligence Plus" initiative, build smart parks, cultivate a number of typical benchmarks for digital transformation and intelligent development, and support traditional industries and small and medium-sized enterprises to carry out technological transformation based on mature and advanced applicable technologies. The goal is that by 2025, over 70% of large-scale manufacturing enterprises will basically achieve digitalization and networking, and a number of intelligent manufacturing demonstration factories leading industrial development will be built.

The second is to improve supply support. We need to plan and layout major scientific and technological innovation projects in the field of intelligent manufacturing, strengthen research and development of key core technologies such as intelligent manufacturing processes, intelligent manufacturing equipment, intelligent products, and software systems, and at the same time cultivate suppliers of intelligent manufacturing system solutions. By 2025, we aim to cultivate a number of suppliers of intelligent manufacturing system solutions with high professional levels and strong service capabilities. Better promote more enterprises to carry out digital transformation and intelligent improvement.

The third is to improve infrastructure. Moderately advance the layout of information infrastructure such as 5G, computing power and mobile Internet of Things, increase the construction of industrial Internet platforms, accelerate the innovative development of industrial Internet, and improve the standard system for intelligent manufacturing. In particular, efforts should be made to enhance the assessment and evaluation work, with the goal of establishing a number of industrial Internet platforms with industry and regional influence by 2025.

Shan Zhongde said that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is currently promoting large-scale industrial equipment updates this year. It has seized this opportunity to systematically advance the exploration of intelligent manufacturing applications, scientific and technological research, and infrastructure construction, and vigorously promote the digitalization, networking, and intelligence of the manufacturing industry, providing strong support for the construction of a manufacturing power.