China Premier Li Qiang urges faster growth of emerging and future industries

Shanghai, September 22 — Li Qiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, conducted a research visit in Shanghai on September 22. He stressed the need to thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on developing advanced manufacturing and the spirit of the National Conference on Advanced Manufacturing. Li called for adhering to the directions of intelligence, green development, and integration; promoting the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation; vigorously developing a new generation of intelligent manufacturing; accelerating the cultivation and expansion of emerging and future industries; and continuously strengthening and expanding advanced manufacturing.

Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Manufacturing

At the Shanghai Electric National Artificial Intelligence Pilot Base for Intermediate Testing, Li Qiang inspected specialized and industrial robots and their applications in complex scenarios. He listened to reports on the construction of "AI+" integrated service providers and AI-native factories, and visited the intelligent robot assembly and pilot testing workshop.

Li pointed out that emerging industries such as artificial intelligence are evolving rapidly, and the application of related technologies is profoundly reshaping the technological systems, production models, and industrial forms of manufacturing, opening up new space for technological innovation and brand enhancement. He emphasized the need to combine China's advantages in manufacturing with digital and intelligent technologies, deepen the "AI + manufacturing" approach, and enable AI to better empower the development of advanced manufacturing. This includes promoting intelligent upgrades across R&D, production, and management; further activating the potential of data elements; driving comprehensive digital and intelligent transformation across more industries; and building smarter industrial and supply chains.

Li also called for addressing common challenges in the manufacturing sector by creating more manufacturing service platforms focused on key areas such as industrial design, pilot testing, and intelligent operations and maintenance. He stressed the importance of strengthening integrated services and diverse solution offerings to help enterprises—especially small and medium-sized ones—carry out intelligent transformation more efficiently and at lower cost, thereby enhancing their development momentum and competitive advantages.

Future Industries and Innovation Ecosystem

Li Qiang also visited the Shanghai Future Qidian Community, a science and technology innovation incubation platform focused on future industries. He learned about the community's innovation ecosystem development and the operation of the Shanghai Future Industry Fund, inspected technological products in fields such as brain-computer interfaces and quantum computing, and had cordial exchanges with researchers and community staff.

Li noted that future industries represent a potential blue ocean for the development of advanced manufacturing. He called for strengthening the tracking, analysis, and assessment of future technology trends; intensifying efforts to achieve breakthroughs in key core technologies; reinforcing the foundation of basic research; encouraging bold exploration and tolerance of trial and error; and continuously expanding the frontiers of industrial innovation.

He emphasized the need to build a first-class innovation ecosystem, promote deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application; strengthen technology services; and actively cultivate and open up application scenarios. Given the long growth cycles and high market risks of future industries, Li stressed the importance of vigorously developing venture capital, expanding patient capital, and establishing mechanisms for investment growth and risk sharing in future industries.

Li Qiang also highlighted that talent is the primary resource and that possessing talent is key to winning the future. He called for strengthening the talent aggregation and cultivation functions of research institutions, innovation platforms, enterprises, and science and technology programs; exploring new models for cultivating top-tier innovative talent; and striving to produce more high-quality personnel.

Chen Jining and Wu Zhenglong participated in the research visit. (Xinhua News Agency)