China unveils plan to promote digital transformation of machinery industry

BEIJING, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- China has issued a plan to accelerate the digital transformation of its machinery sector, aiming to create more smart factories and promote a wide range of applications for intelligent technology.

The document, published by eight government agencies including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, sets out a roadmap to upgrade the machinery sector through digital technology.

By 2027, there will be widespread integration of smart technologies across key areas -- from product design and manufacturing to enterprise management and maintenance, according to the official blueprint.

Looking ahead, major machinery enterprises are aiming to essentially complete one round of digital transformation by 2030. By then, a well-structured and secure product and service supply system, featuring 500 new excellence-level smart factories, is expected to take shape.

The government has classified smart factories into four tiers based on technological maturity and integration depth, including the basic-level, the advanced-level, the excellence-level and the pioneer-level.

An MIIT official emphasized the sector's foundational role in economic development, saying that accelerating the digital transformation of the machinery industry is essential for supporting the digitalization of the broader economy and advancing new industrialization.

To achieve these goals, the plan outlines 12 key tasks, including advancing foundational industrial capabilities, accelerating the development of industrial software, promoting capacity-sharing by leading enterprises, and pushing forward the establishment of a standards-setting system. ■