Beijing Radio and Television Station:

National high-tech industrial development zones, like Beijing's Zhongguancun and Shanghai's Zhangjiang, have attracted many high-tech enterprises and high-end industries. These zones serve as important examples and guiding forces. I'd like to ask how these high-tech zones are currently performing. Additionally, what are your plans to further promote their high-quality development? Thank you.

Jin Zhuanglong:

Thank you for your questions. People are familiar with these national high-tech zones. They are sci-tech industrial zones approved by the State Council to develop high-tech industries and promote the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. There are 178 national high-tech industrial development zones across the country, with unique advantages in innovation capability, business strength, and industrial competitiveness. I will provide a set of data to demonstrate their strengths. Currently, national high-tech industrial development zones account for more than 20% of total industrial value added in the country. They have gathered 30% of all high-tech enterprises and 40% of “little giant” enterprises with high growth potential, advanced technology and strong market competitive edge. These zones account for 50% of enterprise R&D expenditures and invention patents. They have also gathered 60% of listed companies on the sci-tech innovation board, 70% of national manufacturing innovation centers, and 80% of national key laboratories. These high-tech zones have developed a number of strategic industries, including high-end equipment, new materials, and new-generation information technology, becoming the backbone for fostering national advanced manufacturing industrial clusters.

The core mission of these high-tech zones is to develop advanced technologies and achieve their industrialization. In light of new circumstances and requirements, their key task is to cultivate and develop new quality productive forces. Therefore, to drive high-quality development, national high-tech zones should focus on developing advanced technologies, achieving industrialization, and accelerating the formation of new quality productive forces. We will build upon our good practices, solidify our efforts, innovate, and accelerate the construction of top-class high-tech industrial zones. Our goal is to create hubs of industrial sci-tech innovation. National high-tech zones will serve as good examples of innovation-driven development, vanguards of new quality productive forces, and pioneers of high-quality development. The focus will be on three aspects:

First, we will enhance industrial sci-tech innovation capabilities. We will map out more innovation platforms in national high-tech zones, including national manufacturing innovation centers, large-scale scientific facilities, and key laboratories. We will develop various platforms for pilot experiments and verification and incubators for highly competitive enterprises to attract and cultivate more top-level talents and innovation teams. We will support the undertaking of major sci-tech projects and key R&D programs. We will foster world-class and leading sci-tech enterprises. We will also implement an initiative to promote collaborative innovation between national high-tech zones, universities, and university sci-tech parks.

Second, we will enhance and expand dominant industries. Guided by sci-tech innovation, we will coordinate the development of traditional, emerging, and future-orientated industries. We will accelerate the construction of digitalized and eco-friendly industrial zones to create world-class advanced manufacturing clusters. We aim to create new development opportunities and build industrial coordinated innovation networks. We will develop and open up important application scenarios, and guide suitable high-tech zones to build pilot areas to develop future-oriented industries.

Third, we will improve the operational framework for national high-tech zones. We shall ensure that the principal responsibility of constructing national high-tech zones is effectively fulfilled, coordinating various resources and elements, including science and technology, education, industries, human resources, and financing. We will also further improve the structure of these zones, with plans to elevate a number of provincial-level high-tech zones to national status. We will explore targeted policies for national independent innovation demonstration zones with distinctive features. We will also improve the comprehensive appraisal system for national high-tech zones and establish all-in-one administrative service platforms. Furthermore, we will upgrade the Torch Program for high-tech industry development. That's all I have to share. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

Thank you, Mr. Jin. Thank you to all speakers and journalists for participating. The press conference is hereby concluded. See you next time.

Translated and edited by Wang Yiming, Yuan Fang, Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Yanfang, Mi Xingang, Zhou Jing, Yan Bin, Guo Yiming, Li Huiru, Qin Qi, Liu Jining, Liu Sitong, David Ball, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.