On August 26, a State Council Information Office press conference themed around the initial phase of the 15th Five-Year Plan period highlighted "advanced manufacturing" as a central theme. Officials detailed a comprehensive strategy to solidify the sector's role as a pillar of the real economy, focusing on industrial upgrading, technological breakthroughs, and enhanced production capabilities.
The push for advancement is rooted in optimizing the industrial structure. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology outlined plans to concurrently drive the transformation of traditional industries, cultivate emerging sectors, and lay groundwork for future industries. Specific actions include expanding pilot programs for technological upgrades in cities, fostering smart and green development in legacy industries, and accelerating the growth of key pillars such as integrated circuits, aerospace, biomedicine, low-altitude economy, new energy storage, and intelligent robotics. Simultaneously, efforts will seed future growth areas like quantum technology, biological manufacturing, hydrogen and nuclear fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, embodied intelligence, and 6G communications.
A critical foundation lies in achieving breakthroughs in core technologies. The conference showcased a tangible example: domestically produced ultra-thin flexible glass, now mass-produced at a thickness of 30 micrometers—about a quarter of an A4 paper's thickness—which enables foldable smartphone screens. This illustrates the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation. Plans include strengthening original research, building national manufacturing innovation centers and pilot platforms, and channeling innovation resources toward enterprises to ensure seamless linkage between the innovation and industrial chains.
The ultimate goal is a significant leap in manufacturing capability. China already produces over 70% of the world's new energy vehicles, power batteries, and key materials, with annual industrial robot output reaching 773,000 units. To further this progress, officials announced measures to deepen the integration of artificial intelligence with manufacturing, scale up applications of 5G and industrial internet technologies, and promote new business models like platform-based design and personalized customization. The path toward green and low-carbon development will also be clarified, with targets to cultivate 500 zero-carbon factories during the 15th Five-Year Plan period and strive for the comprehensive utilization of waste power batteries to exceed one million tons by 2030.
Underpinning these efforts is a commitment to fostering a robust industrial ecosystem. The government aims to act as a supportive partner for enterprises by deepening reforms, enhancing planning and standards, and improving the business environment. A dedicated plan for promoting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises is set to be released soon, focusing on cultivating high-quality firms, digital empowerment, and strengthening production factor supply. Additionally, efforts will be made to improve governance capacity, refine legal frameworks, and tackle issues like "involutionary" competition through market-based, law-based, and internationalized approaches.
With clear objectives and defined pathways, China's manufacturing sector is poised to advance with a forward-looking and competitive spirit in the coming five years.