Intensify efforts to promote new industrialization

Author: Shi Dan (Director, Institute of Industrial Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Researcher, Xi Jinping Research Center for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the party and state leaders have attached great importance to industrialization, led the mainland to continue to promote industrialization, and built a complete industrial production system, with industrial production capacity and share in the international market soaring by a large margin, greatly promoting economic and social development and the improvement of the people's living standards. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has made a major strategic plan to promote new industrialization based on the overall development of the cause of the Party and the country, and has taken solid steps to promote the new industrialization of the mainland. In September 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important instructions on promoting new industrialization, emphasizing that "in the new era and new journey, it is the key task to comprehensively promote the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization, and to realize new industrialization". It is of great significance to deeply understand the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on promoting new industrialization and further clarify the development direction of new industrialization, which is of great significance for comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization.

Realizing a new type of industrialization is a key task for comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation

New industrialization is the only way to seize the opportunity of a new round of industrial revolution and reconstruct new competitive advantages. Under the role of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the techno-economic paradigm of industrial production is undergoing a profound transformation, changing the operation mode and industrial development mode of the economy and society, and giving new vitality to the traditional industrialization that is in trouble due to resource shortage and environmental damage. After the management, the important factors of production not only change the input structure of the factors of production, but also significantly improve the efficiency of the use of other factors of production, become an important source of value creation, the key to improving industrial competitiveness, and open up a new track for the development of the real economy. At present, major countries in the world have accelerated the development of emerging industries, accelerated the integration of digital technology and manufacturing, and promoted re-industrialization. New industrialization is to seize the opportunity of the world's scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, seize the commanding heights of future development, empower traditional industries with digital technology, realize industrial digital transformation, and reconstruct new competitive advantages.

New industrialization is an important innovative practice for the mainland to achieve industrial integration and development. From the perspective of the current industrial structure, the service industry is the largest industry in the mainland, and although the proportion of manufacturing is lower than that of the service industry, the scale ranks first in the world, far exceeding that of other developed industrial countries. From the perspective of future development, the mainland's service industry will continue to grow rapidly, and in order to maintain the basic stability of the proportion of manufacturing industry, it is necessary to take the road of intelligent, green and integrated development. The so-called industrial integration and development, one refers to the integrated development of a new generation of information technology and manufacturing, fully releasing the superposition, aggregation and multiplication effects of the mainland's manufacturing power and the network power, building a new industrial system with data as the core driving factor, and driving the flow of technology, capital, talent and materials with information flow, and improving the efficiency of resource allocation and total factor productivity; Realizing the integrated development of the industry can not only promote the reduction of transaction costs, achieve smaller inventory, and improve production efficiency, but also form a close relationship between supply and demand, expand the market scope, develop a variety of value-added services, and form a new source of growth.

New-type industrialization is an important starting point for the mainland's overall development and security in the new era. In recent years, global development has faced a number of deficits, including security deficits, ecological deficits, and governance deficits. The anti-globalization provoked by the United States and Western countries has gradually fading the dividends of global industrial transfer, and industrial security problems have become increasingly prominent. To promote new-type industrialization, it is necessary not only to avoid premature de-industrialization, which will cause economic growth to lose momentum due to the premature industrial structure, but also to solve the problems of large resource consumption and serious environmental impact in the process of industrialization. As the world's largest developing country, new industrialization is a road innovation for the mainland to continue to promote industrialization under the goal of "dual carbon", and a new industrial development model under the goal of building ecological civilization, which has the characteristics of digital and green twin transformation. Taking the new road of industrialization, on the one hand, we should adhere to the development of manufacturing industry, provide solid material guarantee for the construction of a modern socialist country and a better life for the people, and provide technical support for ensuring national defense security, food security and energy security;

New-type industrialization is the main focus of the development of new quality productive forces. There is a close intrinsic relationship between the new quality of productivity and the new type of industrialization, the new quality of the productivity is the driving force to promote the new type of industrialization, the new type of industrialization is an important embodiment of the new quality of productivity, and is also the main focus of the development of the new quality of the productive forces. Science and technology are the primary productive forces, however, industry is an important carrier of productive forces, and scientific and technological achievements can only become social productive forces when they are industrialized. From the steam engine to the new generation of information technology, all scientific and technological inventions and creations have materialized the social productive forces formed by them into the production and use of products, thereby improving labor productivity and satisfying the needs of human beings for a higher quality of life. Promoting new-type industrialization with new-quality productive forces is a process of continuously giving birth to new industries and new forms of business through scientific and technological innovation, and forming batch after batch of leading industries that stimulate economic growth. The new quality productivity is driven by the most advanced science and technology in contemporary times, and is an important driving force for emerging industries and future industries, which plays a key role in product innovation, upgrading, and industrial transformation and upgrading.

Opportunities and main tasks for new industrialization

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the mainland has introduced a series of policies and measures to promote the in-depth development of new industrialization. In 2023, the total industrial added value of the mainland will be about 39.9 trillion yuan, accounting for 31.7% of GDP. The mainland's manufacturing industry accounts for more than 30% of the world's total, ranking first in the world for 14 consecutive years. China's innovation capability index ranks among the top in the world, and the number of the world's top 100 scientific and technological innovation clusters has jumped to the first place in the world, and the number of unicorn enterprises ranks second in the world. In 2022, the scale of the mainland's digital economy will reach 50.2 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.3%, accounting for 41.5% of GDP, ranking among the top in the world in terms of scale and proportion. At present, the high-tech industry has become a key driving force for the development of China's manufacturing industry, and the export of high-tech products ranks first in the world, and the international competitiveness of products has been significantly enhanced. In recent years, the "three new" economy, represented by new industries, new forms of business and new models, has continued to flourish, and in some of the "three new" economic fields with strong applicability, the mainland and developed countries have formed a trend of running side by side, and some fields have become the world's leading enterprises.

However, it should also be noted that the mainland is in the process of transformation and development from traditional industrialization to new-type industrialization, and first of all, it is urgent to speed up the construction of a scientific and technological innovation system that is oriented to high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-reliance. Weak basic R&D capabilities and lack of disruptive innovation have led to the lack of key technologies and the problem of core technologies being controlled by others in the mainland's manufacturing industry, and it is urgent to build a high-level industrial science and technology system to promote industrialization from factor input to innovation-driven mode. Second, it is urgent to promote the deep integration of industrialization and digital intelligence. With the further penetration and empowerment of digital technology into various industrial sectors, the digital transformation of industry and manufacturing will become the main field of digital and real integration, and it is also an important way to form new competitive advantages. Finally, it is urgent to accelerate the construction of a green and low-carbon energy system and industrial production system. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a solemn commitment made by the mainland to the world, and it is also a broad and profound economic and social change, which is by no means easy to achieve." The mainland needs to fully implement the concept of green development from production to consumption, from households to society, and from enterprises to the government, and build a green financial system, green financial system and green industrial system from macro to micro. The industrial sector is the main sector of carbon emissions, and whether the industry can achieve green development is the key to whether the mainland can achieve the "dual carbon" goal. Promoting new industrialization includes gradually building a green, low-carbon, safe and reliable new energy system, as well as a resource recycling system throughout the life cycle, and forming an industrial standard system for green products, green manufacturing, and green parks.

The main focus of promoting new industrialization

To promote new-type industrialization, we must not only aim at long-term goals, but also base ourselves on current problems, and we must have a grasp, implementable, and effective implementation in specific measures.

Vigorously develop the digital economy and cultivate new advantages in industrial competition. Under the guidance of a new round of scientific and technological revolution, the development of the global manufacturing industry has entered a new stage, and intelligent manufacturing, biomanufacturing, green manufacturing and service manufacturing promoted by digital technology, artificial intelligence and biotechnology have become the core content of the fourth industrial revolution. The scale of the mainland's manufacturing industry has been leading the world for many years, but the traditional comparative advantage is weakening, and it is necessary to vigorously develop new industries, new formats and new models, transform and upgrade traditional industries with new technologies, and cultivate new competitive advantages. To this end, it is necessary to increase investment in original innovation, especially to pay attention to the independent investment in basic technology, basic technology and basic materials, build a number of manufacturing innovation centers, enhance the supply of key common technologies in key industries, and strengthen the construction of innovative talent teams, and cultivate a group of leading talents and high-level innovation teams in industrial technological innovation. It is necessary to further promote the digital transformation of traditional industrial sectors, focus on improving the intelligent level of industrial equipment, develop new models of digital manufacturing, and lead industrial innovation and development with standardization.

Promote the deep integration of advanced manufacturing and modern service industries. Support the deep integration between advanced manufacturing industries such as high-end equipment manufacturing, electronic information manufacturing, new energy vehicles, biomedicine, and modern service industries such as software and information services, financial industry, science and technology research and development, and science and technology services, and promote the widespread penetration of information technology into product design, customer customization, integrated manufacturing, marketing, supply chain management, quality management, testing and certification, financial services and other links, and continuously improve the value creation ability of manufacturing enterprises in the service link. Continuously optimize the industrial structure and maintain the basic stability of the proportion of the manufacturing industry. Consolidate the leading position of advantageous industries, enhance the advantages of the whole industrial chain in the fields of new energy vehicles, photovoltaics, mobile communications, power equipment and other fields, create more business cards made in China, cultivate and expand strategic emerging industries, strengthen technological research and achievement transformation, and look forward to the layout of future industries.

Form a mode of energy production and resource utilization that is compatible with the new industrialization. We will continue to improve the energy structure, steadily promote the construction of large-scale clean energy production bases, and promote the nearby use of clean energy. Rely on technological innovation to continuously improve the level of industrial energy efficiency, focus on breaking through the global performance efficiency and emission technology problems, and strive to achieve world-class energy conservation and emission reduction technology in China's manufacturing industry, and the energy consumption level of key industrial industries to reach and exceed developed countries. Build a multi-level circular economy system, vigorously develop the resource recovery industry and remanufacturing industry, and rely on technological progress and system construction to promote resource conservation and intensive utilization. Advocate green consumption for all, control excessive consumption through the price mechanism, reduce personal carbon footprint, and increase the proportion of consumption of low-carbon industrial products.

Adhere to a high level of opening up to the outside world, and smooth the domestic and international dual circulation. We will further consolidate the export advantages of industrial products, create a good development environment for export enterprises from multiple perspectives such as the supply of energy raw materials and the improvement of export freight capacity, enhance the construction of international market channels and localized operation capabilities, and ensure the overseas order delivery capacity of export enterprises. Actively participate in the formulation of international trade rules and industrial standards, contribute China's experience in the formulation of new trade rules in response to the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, establish a positive cycle system in which China's patented technology and standard formulation support each other, promote the export of complete sets of independent standard industrial products, and promote the implementation of Chinese standards in foreign projects and other contracting contracts. We should expand the scale of the use of foreign capital and raise the level of foreign capital utilization, continue to do a good job in providing services to foreign-funded enterprises, continuously improve the business environment, and promote the increase in the quantity and quality of foreign investment. We will give full play to the mainland's advantages in infrastructure construction, integrated innovation, and industrial application, and carry out extensive cooperation with other countries in strategic technology research and development and technology transformation.

Intensify the cultivation of innovative talents, and establish a talent support system suitable for development. At present, the mainland's cutting-edge industrial technology has entered a "no man's land", and some fields have stood on the same starting line with developed countries. To continue to maintain a leading position, the key lies in the continuous breakthrough of scientific and technological innovation, and the promotion of scientific and technological innovation requires a steady stream of talents. To this end, it is necessary to intensify the cultivation of innovative talents and establish a talent support system that is compatible with the development of strategic emerging industries and future industries. Innovative talents include not only scientific and technological talents, but also entrepreneurs and managers, and it is necessary to formulate corresponding talent development strategies according to the characteristics of the growth and role of different types of innovative talents.

Guangming Daily (2024-04-09 11th edition)

Source: Guangming Net-Guangming Daily