Subo: Build a batch of world-leading flagship intelligent factories to drive digital and intelligent transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises

Topic: China Development Forum Annual Meeting 2026

The China Development Forum Annual Meeting 2026 will be held in Beijing from March 22 to 23. At the “Manufacturing Industry Digital and Intelligent Transformation Seminar,” Su Bo, Deputy Director of the National Manufacturing Power Construction Strategic Advisory Committee and former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, pointed out that through the in-depth implementation of intelligent manufacturing projects, China has led and promoted the construction of a manufacturing power, achieving historic accomplishments and successfully reaching the first strategic goal of transitioning from a major manufacturing country to a world manufacturing power. The overall level of the manufacturing industry has steadily improved from mid-to-low end, with many important fields entering the mid-to-high end. Among these, the fields of 5G communications, high-speed rail equipment, shipbuilding, new energy vehicles, and new energy equipment such as wind and solar power have reached world-leading levels, contributing 50% of global capacity.

He introduced that China’s intelligent factory construction has gradually transitioned from pilot demonstrations to broader upgrades, significantly enhancing the comprehensive competitiveness of the manufacturing industry. As of now, over 35,000 foundational-level, more than 8,200 advanced-level, over 500 excellent-level, and 15 leading-level intelligent factories have been established.

Su Bo emphasized that the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry has spawned new technologies, new industries, and new business models, driving rapid development in manufacturing equipment, industrial software, and intelligent manufacturing system solutions, forming a market scale with a valuation of five trillion. At the same time, China has cumulatively released 497 national standards related to intelligent manufacturing, established over 500 undergraduate programs in intelligent manufacturing at higher education institutions, and deepened international exchange and cooperation, providing solid standard support, talent assurance, and a foundation for international cooperation for the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry.

Regarding current industrial development trends, Su Bo pointed out that the new generation of artificial intelligence is transitioning from general large models to industry-specific large models, and industrial intelligence and embodied intelligence have become core variables in the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry. This new generation of intelligent manufacturing technology, which deeply integrates with advanced manufacturing, possesses characteristics such as self-perception, self-decision-making, self-execution, self-adaptation, and self-learning, driving intelligent manufacturing into a new stage of advanced development.

He made it clear that in the next decade, China will continue to firmly focus on intelligent manufacturing as its main direction, which has been the core direction established when China implemented the manufacturing power strategy 15 years ago. The future will focus on the deep integration of the new generation of artificial intelligence with the manufacturing industry, with innovations in intelligent manufacturing systems as the focal point and breakthrough, aiming to address the technological shortcomings of industrial intelligence, promoting advanced exploration and widespread application, and striving to create an upgraded version of intelligent manufacturing that combines virtual and physical elements, evolves autonomously, and is safe and efficient. By 2030, it is expected that large-scale manufacturing enterprises will largely adopt digital and networked manufacturing, and significant progress will be made in new generation intelligent manufacturing innovation; by 2035, it is expected that large-scale manufacturing enterprises will largely adopt digital, networked, and intelligent manufacturing, with new generation intelligent manufacturing applications leading the world.

To achieve the above goals, Su Bo proposed four key tasks. First, strengthen strategic guidance, improve mechanisms for comprehensive promotion, create a new generation intelligent manufacturing system framework and development path, and summarize regular insights and effective experiences to support the construction of the upgraded version of intelligent manufacturing. Second, promote innovation in intelligent manufacturing technologies and equipment, strengthen breakthroughs in core key technologies, overcome fundamental technologies such as multi-dimensional intelligent perception, industrial artificial intelligence, and factory operating systems, support system integration innovation, accelerate the construction of a new generation intelligent manufacturing technology system, and develop a batch of advanced intelligent manufacturing equipment.

Third, accelerate the exploration and cultivation of new business formats and models in intelligent manufacturing, promote intelligent factory construction in a graded and categorized manner, create demonstration benchmarks, widely promote mature models and solutions, and popularize digital and networked manufacturing; support leading enterprises in rapidly applying deep learning, large models, digital twins, and other technologies, to create a batch of globally leading pioneering intelligent factories, driving the digital transformation of numerous small and medium-sized enterprises and cultivating new paths for leapfrog development in intelligent manufacturing. Fourth, strengthen international cooperation, optimize the development ecology of intelligent manufacturing, continuously iterate national standards for intelligent manufacturing, deepen international exchange and cooperation, actively promote the international development of intelligent factories, equipment, software, standards, solutions, etc., and enhance the international competitiveness and influence of China’s intelligent manufacturing.

Sina Statement: All meeting records are transcribed on-site and have not been reviewed by the speakers. Sina.com publishes this article for the purpose of conveying more information and does not imply endorsement of its views or verification of its descriptions.

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Editor: Li Siyang