Chinese vice-premier urges strengthening of advanced manufacturing

CHANGCHUN -- Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing has called for strengthening and expanding advanced manufacturing, enhancing the self-reliance and controllability of industrial chains, and accelerating the building of a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as its backbone.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection tour in the northeastern province of Jilin from Thursday to Saturday.

He stressed the need to make greater efforts to promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, encourage enterprises, especially large ones, to strengthen basic research, and achieve breakthroughs in a number of key core technologies and generic technologies.

Efforts should be made to develop next-generation intelligent manufacturing, accelerate the widespread application of digital, intelligent and green technologies, and promote the renewal and upgrading of traditional industries, Zhang said.

He also emphasized the need to strengthen basic theoretical studies on scientific research instruments and give full play to the role of key scientific and technological research forces, including national laboratories, national research institutions, high-level research universities and leading sci-tech enterprises.

Zhang urged efforts to enhance common supporting capabilities for scientific research instruments, such as system integration, standards and metrology, pilot-scale verification, and inspection and testing, so as to promote the application and dissemination of independently developed technologies and products.