'Four new inventions' we should be proud of

President Xi Jinping has been reiterating the importance of innovation in economic development, and recent media reports have highlighted the "four new great inventions" of modern China - high-speed railway, Alipay, shared bicycles and online shopping. The four new inventions are technological breakthroughs that will help China move toward overall prosperity and make innovation a driver of economic development.

Some may argue that the technologies the "four new great inventions" are based on did not originate in China. That is true, but it is China that used the technologies to come up with the new inventions. This shows that research is important. But it is equally important to successfully implement it.

Each of the four new inventions involves a series of new technologies. High-speed railway involves new material technology, motor technology, bogie processing technology as well as network control technology. From its engine to its cover to its rails, high-speed railway integrates many high technologies. And since high-speed railway is an exemplary combination of technological innovation and industrial capacity, it would not have been possible without China's mature manufacturing industry.