BEIJING, April 28 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday stressed the importance of developing intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs) and making the auto industry more high-end, smarter and greener.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when he inspected the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition.

He called for pursuing industrial innovation led by sci-tech innovation, furthering opening up and cooperation, and better satisfying and creating market demand.

China is holding the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2024) at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing, with "Driving to Smart Mobility" being the theme of this year's event.

After touring Auto China 2024, Li said he was encouraged by the exhibition, given that China's intelligent connected NEVs have strong development momentum.

Li expressed his hope that to make positive contributions to the global green and low-carbon transformation, automakers will accelerate efforts to tackle core technologies, strengthen industrial chain coordination and promote intelligent manufacturing levels, while enhancing the development and layout of forward-looking technologies and boosting the auto industry by improving quality and upgrading continuously.

The premier stressed that China and global NEV markets are growing steadily, and that there is plenty of room for market demand. China will boost more extensive exchanges and cooperation among automakers from home and abroad in terms of capital, technology, management and talent, helping them share in China's market opportunities.

Li called for giving play to the leading role of the auto industry in expanding investment and boosting consumption.