In the new era, China is embarking on a transformative journey to drive national prosperity and rejuvenate the nation through a distinctly Chinese approach to modernityA principal goal of this comprehensive modernization initiative is the advancement of new-type industrializationAs we enter 2024, China's industrial economy is stable and has demonstrated promising growthThe country has taken significant strides toward establishing a robust industrial framework characterized by diversity in products, large-scale operations, and a resilient industrial system.

Looking ahead to 2025, the focus is on developing new qualitative productive forces while ensuring a balanced representation of the manufacturing sectorThis involves continual refinement of industrial governance systems and accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system primarily anchored in advanced manufacturing, thus infusing formidable momentum for the advancement of new-type industrialization.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, China's industrial economy maintained a positive upward trend throughout 2024. The added value of industrial enterprises above the designated size rose by an impressive 5.8% year-on-year in the first eleven months of 2024, indicating a resilient growth trajectory

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology projects that this growth rate will hold steady at approximately 5.7% for the entire year, with manufacturing's contribution to the GDP remaining stable.

A series of precise and impactful policy measures have interlinked to foster sustained and healthy growth within the industrial economyZHU Keli, executive director of the China Information Association and founder of the National Research Institute of New Economy, noted that there has been a concentrated effort to implement high-quality development actions for key manufacturing industry chains, enhancing the overall competitiveness of industrial chains while simultaneously optimizing industrial structuresThis strategic initiative has significantly bolstered the resilience and safety of our industrial economy.

Additionally, the government has actively promoted large-scale equipment replacement and provided incentives for consumers to exchange old products for new ones

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As of December 13, 2024, these policies have stimulated sales of related consumer goods exceeding 1 trillion yuanFurthermore, effective investment in manufacturing has been promoted through a national platform that connects industry and finance, facilitating breakthrough financing support that has surpassed 1 trillion yuanMajor achievements have surfaced from targeted technical research initiatives centered around key technologies, the reconstruction of industrial bases, and advancements in significant technical equipmentThe coordinated efforts for industrial transfer and connections have also resulted in pivotal project signings and implementations.

The structure of industries is undergoing continuous optimization and upgradingThe Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reports a robust surge in high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing sectors in 2024. Notably, China has successfully developed 421 national-level smart manufacturing demonstration factories and established 80 advanced manufacturing clusters

The cultivation of 1,383 new national-level green factories has also been achieved, alongside the successful relocation and transformation of 12 hazardous chemical production enterprises within densely populated urban areas, with significant improvements noticed in the 178 national high-tech zones.

In 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will implement a new round of strategies focusing on ten key industries to maintain growthThis involves strengthening monitoring and guidance for industrial operations in major provinces, encouraging localized advantages, and inspiring competitive advancement across the boardAdditionally, there will be research and formulation of a balanced manufacturing investment mechanism, bolstering the implementation of large-scale equipment updates and policy support for consumer trade-ins.

On the innovation front, advancements continue to redefine China's industrial landscape

A notable milestone was accomplished on New Year's Day, 2025, with the launch of regular commercial flights from Shanghai to Hong Kong operated by the domestically manufactured C919 aircraftThis flight marked a significant first, opening up regional commercial operations for the C919 and signaling a leap in domestic aviation capabilities.

Innovation in industrial technology achieved remarkable breakthroughs throughout 2024, alongside a continuous influx of groundbreaking innovationsAmong these advancements, the ignition of a 300-megawatt F-class heavy gas turbine was celebrated, while the ocean exploration vessel, the "Dream," successfully entered serviceAdditionally, the Chang'e 6 mission accomplished the historic feat of returning lunar samples from the far side of the moon, and China's first commercial space launch site was inaugurated with its first successful launch operation

As of now, there are 33 National Manufacturing Innovation Centers in the country.

Statistics indicate that China has cultivated over 140,000 specialized and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), alongside 14,600 exceptionally specialized “Little Giants” and 1,557 "champion" enterprises in various manufacturing sectorsThese entities play a crucial role in driving technological research, product innovation, and enhancing the overall capabilities for industrial technology innovation.

ZHU Keli emphasized that the deployment of innovation results in manufacturing, electronics information, biomedicine, and other fields is continually expanding, injecting new vitality into high-quality industrial developmentThe construction of national manufacturing innovation centers and pilot platforms for industrial technology is also making significant strides, providing improved support systems for industrial innovation.

As the government moves toward 2025, there will be an emphasis on the Integrated development of technological and industrial innovations

The rollout of national major science and technology projects will deepen research efforts, aiming to create core technologies that spur industrial developmentIn particular, a cultivation system for high-quality enterprises will be established, encompassing high-tech enterprises, innovative SMEs, gazelle firms, and unicorn enterprises.

Simultaneously, the integration of information technology and industrialization is gaining momentumFor example, at Shandong Dongfang Hongye Chemical Co., Inc., the utilization of smart sensors and diagnostic technologies has enabled predictive maintenance that has dramatically lowered equipment failure rates by 90% and maintenance costs by 50%. As introduced by QI Guangpeng, chairman of Inspur Yunzhong Industrial Internet Co., Ltd., 2024 marked a breakthrough year for large-scale applications of industrial internet driven by data elements, resulting in ongoing quality improvements across the industry.

The integration of informatization and industrialization is advancing aggressively in 2024. ZHAO Gang described that China is thoroughly implementing strategies for the innovative development of the industrial internet, facilitating high-quality advancement of “5G + industrial internet” solutions, and piloting synergistic applications across nearly 17,000 national “5G + industrial internet” projects

The digitization of manufacturing also witnesses rapid transformation, with 700 high-level 5G factories cultivated to dateSignificant progress has been made in database projects focused on the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises, effectively modernizing close to 10,000 businesses.

Artificial intelligence (AI) currently drives the transformation and upgrade processes within manufacturing, and it is widely applied across research, production, and management improvementsA proliferation of scenarios and modes integrating AI has emerged across industrial applications, demonstrating remarkable technological equivalence and establishing two primary technological application routes.

In anticipation of 2025, plans are in place to accelerate the digital transformation of large-scale industrial enterprises and specialized SMEs, adopting industry-specific digital transformation guides tailored for key sectors