Henan sets its sights on industry upgrading to boost development

Central China's Henan province is beefing up efforts to promote industrial restructuring and upgrading, develop advanced manufacturing and foster strategic emerging industries, as part of its broader drive to realize high-quality development.

"Efforts are being accelerated to make traditional manufacturing more eco-friendly, intelligent and technology-oriented, and drive the industrial output of equipment manufacturing and food processing sector to achieve 1 trillion yuan ($140 billion)," said Wang Guosheng, Party secretary of Henan province, during a media briefing in Beijing on Monday.

The output of new energy vehicles and service robots increased by 70.4 percent and 37.8 percent respectively last year, Wang noted. Moreover, the added value of five major industries and new emerging industries with strategic importance grew by 7.7 percent and 12.2 percent respectively in 2018.

"We also promoted the development of 18 industries with hundred-billion yuan industrial output, such as energy-saving and environmental protection, intelligent electricity transmission, new equipment and biomedicine," Wang added.

"With the Zhengzhou-Luoyang-Xinxiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone as an exemplary model, we will foster and introduce innovation-led enterprises, talents, platforms and institutions, boost the efficient integration of industry, innovation, financial and policy chains, and build up dynamic innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem," said Chen Run'er, governor of Henan.

According to Chen, the demonstration zone boasts nearly 50 percent of the province's leading innovative enterprises, and 60 percent of its high-tech enterprises. In 2018, the number of leading innovative enterprises in Henan amounted to 100, with the high-tech enterprises reaching 3,322.

"Great breakthroughs have been made in key technologies, such as visible light communication, new energy vehicles and high-end mining machines," Chen said, adding that the added value of the province's high-tech industries rose by 11.2 percent last year.

As an inland province, Henan places a strong emphasis on opening-up and hopes it will bring about new progress in economic and social development.

Henan is stepping up efforts to establish a logistics center connecting the east and the west, and build the Zhengzhou-Luxembourg Air Silk Road, to sell globally and buy globally. The China-Europe Railway Express (Zhengzhou) connects 130 cities in over 30 countries and regions, including Russia and Central Asia.

In 2018, the cross-border e-commerce volume in Henan totaled 128.9 billion yuan, up 25.8 percent year-on-year.

Chen added the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone has become an important global production base for smartphones. "A batch of enterprises engaged in electronic manufacturing, precision machinery manufacturing and biomedical manufacturing have gathered here."

Qu Xianming, an expert from the National Manufacturing Strategy Advisory Committee, said Henan should make breakthroughs in the fields of power transmission equipment, agricultural equipment, medium and high-end passenger vehicles.