Strengthening weak links in intelligent manufacturing

Manufacturing is the foundation of a country's prosperity, the instrument of its rejuvenation, the cornerstone of its strength, and the source of its wealth. It also serves as a key force supporting the stable and robust operation of the industrial economy, reflecting a nation's core competitiveness and overall strength. Data shows that in the first three quarters of this year, China's industrial value added of enterprises above the designated size increased by 5.8% year-on-year, with the equipment manufacturing industry and high-tech manufacturing industry seeing growth rates of 7.5% and 9.1% respectively. Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang, the four major industrial provinces, contributed over 40% to the nation's industrial production.

The essence of intelligent manufacturing lies in the deep integration of new-generation information technologies, represented by artificial intelligence, with manufacturing. Accelerating this transformation has become a crucial path for developing new productive forces and achieving high-quality manufacturing development. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China's manufacturing technology and scale have soared, and remarkable progress has been made in intelligent development. By the end of 2023, China had cultivated 421 national demonstration factories and over 10,000 provincial-level digital workshops and smart factories.

However, challenges remain in the intelligent transformation of manufacturing, including breakthroughs needed in underlying technologies, enhanced coordination among enterprises of various sizes, obstacles in the application of large AI models in vertical industries, and insufficient self-control capabilities in core technologies. To address these, measures should focus on improving enterprises' capabilities in intelligent technology and digital transformation, advancing 5G and industrial internet infrastructure, and fostering an innovative ecosystem to support intelligent manufacturing. By adhering to goal-oriented and problem-oriented approaches, we can target key weaknesses and take comprehensive measures to strengthen intelligent manufacturing.