Xi Jinping Directs China Toward Advanced Manufacturing Powerhouse

President Xi Jinping is directing China's transition into a global manufacturing powerhouse by prioritizing a modernized industrial system centered on advanced manufacturing. During a national conference in Beijing on September 16-17, Xi emphasized the need for industrial chains to become more self-supporting and risk-resilient, stressing the importance of reinforcing the real economy to prevent industrial hollowing.

This strategic vision is codified in China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), which targets high-end, intelligent, and green manufacturing. To reduce reliance on foreign technology, the government is focusing on independent innovation in core fields such as integrated circuits and industrial machine tools. Premier Li Qiang designated the development of advanced manufacturing as a major strategic task, specifically advocating for the "AI plus manufacturing" initiative and a shift toward next-generation intelligent manufacturing.

Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing added that the government must address irrational and disorderly competition while building a high-quality standards system to create a sound industrial ecosystem. These directives follow strong growth in the sector, with high-tech manufacturing seeing a 14.2 percent increase in value-added industrial output in the first eight months of the year. Internationally, Xi recently proposed an intelligent manufacturing cooperation initiative at the BRICS summit in New Delhi to help member nations develop smart factories and upgrade manufacturing standards.