'Little giants' to drive tech breakthroughs

The nation's plan to cultivate around 600 small, highly specialized world-market leaders in three years will help it make breakthroughs in core industrial components, experts said on Tuesday.

Qu Xianming, an expert with the National Manufacturing Strategy Advisory Committee, which advises the government on plans to upgrade the manufacturing sector, said China lags behind other countries in the field of high-end industrial components.

"The plan emphasizes efforts to nurture small and medium-sized enterprises which specialize in one or two products. It can help the country catch up and complement its industrial structure," Qu said.