According to news on April 20, the State Council Information Office held a press conference today on the development of industry and information technology in the first quarter of 2023. At the meeting,  Zhao Zhiguo, chief engineer and spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, introduced the latest industrial data.

At the end of the first quarter, my country has built a total of more than 2.64 million 5G base stations, and 110 Gigabit cities have been built nationwide. Gigabit access users have exceeded the scale of 100 million. Mobile network IPv6 traffic has exceeded 50 % for the first time, and the comprehensive capabilities of computing power infrastructure are remarkable. 5G has been applied in many fields such as industry, medical care, education, transportation, and tourism, and has been fully integrated into 52 major categories of national economy .

In the first quarter of this year, my country's telecom business revenue increased by 7.7% year-on-year.  Steadily promote the construction of "dual gigabit" network, the accumulated number of 5G base stations has exceeded 2.64 million, and the number of gigabit access users has exceeded 100 million.  Continuing to deepen integrated applications, 5G is fully integrated into 52 national economic categories.

He said that in the next step, my country will accelerate breakthroughs in key core technologies such as 6G, optical communications, and quantum communications, and increase research and development efforts in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, twin blockchain, and digits.  Overcome a number of "stuck neck" key areas, and improve the resilience and security level of the industrial chain and supply chain. Vigorously promote the integrated application of new-generation information and communication technologies such as 5G and gigabit optical networks in vertical industries, information consumption, social livelihood and other fields, promote the large-scale application of the industrial Internet, focus as on form key are innovative application demonstration benchmarks, and facilitate the digital transformation of industries.

According to reports, my country's industrial economy rebounded steadily in the first quarter, achieving a smooth start. With the smooth transition of epidemic prevention and control and the smooth economic cycle, the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size in the first quarter increased by 3% year-on-year, an increase of 0.3 percentage points higher than the fourth quarter of last year, reversing the continuous downward trend since October last year. Among them, the added value of the manufacturing industry increased by 2.9% year-on-year, 2.7 percentage points faster than the growth rate in December 2022. The added value of the manufacturing industry accounted for 27.9% of GDP, which is a relatively high level in recent years. Manufacturing investment continued to grow steadily. In the first quarter, manufacturing investment increased by 7% year-on-year, 1.9 percentage points higher than the national fixed asset investment. Among them, investment in high-tech manufacturing increased by 15.2% year-on-year.

In the next step, my country will continue to increase its development momentum. Accelerate the innovation and development of strategic emerging industries such as 5G, artificial intelligence, bio-manufacturing, and intelligent connected vehicles, vigorously develop advanced manufacturing, and create new growth points. Promote the digital economy to become stronger, better and bigger, and cultivate new economic engines. Implement several measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises stabilize growth, adjust structure and strengthen capabilities, continue to strengthen enterprise-related services, boost enterprise confidence, and promote the development of small and medium-sized enterprises with specialization and innovation.

In addition, my country will promote export stability and quality improvement. Consolidate the export momentum of superior products, increase support for foreign trade enterprises in the manufacturing industry, do a good job in the service guarantee for key foreign-funded enterprises and projects in the manufacturing industry, cooperate with relevant departments to implement policies and measures to stabilize foreign trade, and strive to stabilize the export of industrial products.

Zhao Zhiguo said that the next step will be to create a good environment for industrial development. Implement policies and measures for steady growth, formulate and implement work plans for stable growth in key industries, and continue to strengthen policy supply. Pay close attention to detail, provincial cooperation, and departmental coordination, support major industrial provinces to be the pillars, give full play to the main role of enterprises, vigorously support the development of leading enterprises and specialized, special and new enterprises, and gather joint forces for the steady growth of industries.

He emphasized: the next step will focus on three aspects of work. The first is to study and introduce policies and measures to promote the coordinated development of new information infrastructure construction, and promote the integration of "broadband frontier", gigabit optical network "light chasing action", small and medium-sized city cloud network infrastructure construction, and mobile Internet of Things high-quality development action Promote the construction of new infrastructure. The second is to promote accelerated breakthroughs in key core technologies such as 6G, optical communications, and quantum communications, and increase research and development efforts in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital twins. Overcome a number of "stuck neck" key areas, and improve the resilience and security level of the industrial chain and supply chain. The third is to vigorously promote the integrated application of new-generation information and communication technologies such as 5G and gigabit optical networks in vertical industries, information consumption, social livelihood and other fields, promote the large-scale application of the industrial Internet, focus on key areas to form innovative application demonstration benchmarks, and facilitate the digital transformation of industries .

He also mentioned that in the next step, we will study and formulate guidelines for the high-quality development of the industrial Internet, and promote "5G + industrial Internet" from the aspects of industrial supply, in-depth application, and cluster development, and further improve the top-level design. Implement a new round of industrial Internet innovation and development projects, accelerate the research and industrialization of key core technologies of the industrial Internet, break through the technical bottlenecks that restrict large-scale applications, and improve security protection capabilities. Focus on key industries, compile application guidelines for the integration of industrial Internet and electronic information, construction machinery and other key industries, promote the "through" action of signs, and promote the popularization and application of industrial Internet in key industrial chains. Focus on key enterprises, give full play to the leading role of leading enterprises, and drive upstream and downstream enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to integrate into the industrial Internet. Focus on key areas, carry out the industrial Internet "Hundred Cities, Thousand Parks" activity, accelerate the industrial Internet into parks and clusters, and promote the emergence of more concentrated and contiguous "boutique" applications.

As IT House has reported many times before, Zhao Zhiguo also emphasized new energy vehicles, smart home appliances, and green building materials going to the countryside. He said: The next step will be to accelerate the recovery of domestic demand. Deeply promote the "three products" action of consumer goods and raw materials, carry out activities such as new energy vehicles, smart home appliances, and green building materials going to the countryside, vigorously cultivate the local specialty food industry, and promote consumption with high-quality supply. We will promote major engineering projects in the "14th Five-Year Plan" in the field of industry and information technology, implement technological transformation and upgrading oriented plans for industrial enterprises, guide financial institutions to increase medium and long-term loans to the manufacturing industry, and actively expand effective investment.

In terms of enterprises, Tao Qing, head of the Operation Monitoring and Coordination Bureau of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said at a press conference today that this year, the Ministry plans to cultivate another 100 characteristic industrial clusters of small and medium-sized enterprises across the country. We will further promote the work of characteristic industrial clusters of small and medium-sized enterprises. The first is to guide clusters to expand and strengthen leading industries, further enhance the core competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, stimulate economic vitality in counties, and improve the resilience of industrial chains and supply chains and the supporting capabilities of key links. The second is to do a good job in the guidance and evaluation of cluster development, carry out the publicity of excellent cluster cases and the promotion of typical experience, strengthen the quality management of identified clusters, and ensure that cluster development achieves real results. The third is to organize research and introduce policies and measures to promote the development of clusters, further strengthen policy guidance and resource coordination, build a gradient cultivation system for clusters, and guide and support local governments to cultivate a number of provincial clusters.