Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Recently launched the second phase of 6G technology testing, AI has penetrated over 70% of the business scenarios in leading smart factories

On January 21, the State Council Information Office held a press conference, inviting Zhang Yunming, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Tao Qing, spokesperson of the Ministry and Director of the Operation Monitoring and Coordination Bureau, and Xie Cun, spokesperson of the Ministry and Director of the Information and Communication Development Department, to introduce the achievements in industrial and information technology development by 2025 and answer questions from reporters. (Source: Guo Xin Wang) Key points summarized by Wall Street Insights: China’s 5G user base exceeds 1.2 billion, and the second phase of 6G technology testing has recently started At the press conference, it was introduced that China has built 4.838 million 5G base stations, with 5G coverage in all towns and 95% of administrative villages nationwide, establishing the world's largest and technologically advanced information infrastructure. The 5G user base exceeds 1.2 billion. Currently, China's share of global standard essential patent declarations for 5G stands at 42%; the first phase of 6G research and development has completed technical testing, forming over 300 key technology reserves, and the second phase of 6G technology testing has recently been initiated. The "new content" continues to improve, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has released a batch of emerging industry development achievements At the press conference, it was introduced that a number of high "new content" innovative achievements are emerging. The "good ideas" in laboratories are continuously transformed into "good products" on production lines. Technologies such as perovskite materials, permanent magnet materials, and power batteries are at the international advanced level, while new networks, high-speed communication, advanced computing, emerging software, and blockchain technologies are accelerating iteration. Prototypes of atomic clocks and magnetometers based on new quantum technologies have been successfully developed, and superconducting quantum computers and optical quantum computers have achieved quantum superiority, possessing computing capabilities that can surpass any classical computer on specific problems. Brain-computer interface technology is accelerating its expansion from the medical field to education, industry, and other areas. By 2025, China's core artificial intelligence industry scale is expected to exceed 1.2 trillion yuan Zhang Yunming stated that 2025 will be a year of vibrant development and highlights for China's artificial intelligence industry. According to relevant institutions' estimates, the number of artificial intelligence companies in China will exceed 6,000 by 2025, and the core industry scale is expected to exceed 1.2 trillion yuan. Currently, AI applications have covered key industries such as steel, non-ferrous metals, electricity, and telecommunications, gradually penetrating key links such as product development, quality inspection, and customer service. Accelerate breakthroughs in key technologies such as training chips and heterogeneous computing power Zhang Yunming stated that in the next step, we will focus on technological innovation, accelerating breakthroughs in key technologies such as training chips and heterogeneous computing power. We will promote integrated applications, focusing on software programming, new material research and development, pharmaceutical research and development, and information communication, systematically pushing for breakthroughs in large and small models and intelligent agents. AI has penetrated over 70% of business scenarios in leading intelligent factories Xie Cun, Director of the Information and Communication Development Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated that currently, artificial intelligence (AI) has penetrated over 70% of business scenarios in leading intelligent factories, accumulating over 6,000 vertical field models, driving the large-scale application of more than 1,700 key intelligent manufacturing equipment and industrial software, and forming a batch of industrial intelligent agents with perception, decision-making, and execution capabilities Promote the improvement of intelligent manufacturing from automation to autonomy. Support localities in building future industries according to local conditions, and increase government investment fund investment efforts Zhang Yunming stated that in terms of future industries, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will continue to carry out innovation tasks and organize the implementation of a number of major scientific and technological projects with forward-looking strategic significance, supporting localities in building a number of future industries according to local conditions, and increasing the investment efforts of government investment funds, creating a good situation for the competitive development of future industries nationwide. Technological progress is often accompanied by employment restructuring, and the integration of artificial intelligence will be fully utilized Zhang Yunming stated that technological progress is often accompanied by restructuring of employment structures and iteration of job positions, but restructuring does not mean disappearance, and iteration does not mean replacement. We must view the issues faced in the development of artificial intelligence from a developmental perspective. In the future, the MIIT will adhere to application-driven approaches, fully leverage the integration of artificial intelligence, and while promoting the restructuring of organizational models, work methods, and production methods, continuously enhance the AI literacy of workers and cultivate more compound talents who understand both artificial intelligence and manufacturing. Zhang Yunming emphasized that from the industrial revolution to the information technology revolution, every major technological change has raised concerns about employment, but ultimately, through industrial transformation, productivity has been improved, employment structures optimized, and new job positions created. In the face of the development of artificial intelligence, we must uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, adopt an open and win-win attitude, strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, and the new challenges brought by artificial intelligence can certainly be effectively addressed. A guide for the construction of a comprehensive standardization system for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence will be released Zhang Yunming stated that the next step for the MIIT will be to continue promoting technological innovation and iterative upgrades of humanoid robots, using humanoid robots as a small entry point to drive the development of the large industry of computational intelligence. The MIIT will continue to strengthen the inspection and testing of humanoid robot product quality, network and data security, carry out related scientific and technological ethics research and management services, and ensure high-level safety to guarantee high-quality development. At the same time, the MIIT will accelerate the establishment of a humanoid robot ecosystem, enhance the support of the National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund for humanoid robots, build an open-source community for humanoid robots, and release a guide for the construction of a comprehensive standardization system for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence to promote the global sharing of innovative achievements. A "14th Five-Year" plan to promote the development of small and medium-sized enterprises will be formulated Zhang Yunming stated that by 2025, the added value of small and medium-sized enterprises in the industrial sector above designated size will increase by 6.9% year-on-year. A total of 17,600 national-level specialized and innovative small giant enterprises will be cultivated, with a research and development investment intensity of 7% for specialized and innovative small giant enterprises. In 2026, the MIIT will improve the policy and regulatory system to promote the high-quality development of small and medium-sized enterprises. First, continuously optimize the business development environment, formulate a "14th Five-Year" plan to promote the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, fully implement regulations to ensure the payment of funds to small and medium-sized enterprises, resolutely curb new arrears, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of small and medium-sized enterprises; second, increase efforts to cultivate more specialized and innovative enterprises, and implement a three-year action plan for the gradient cultivation of quality enterprises; third, fully provide comprehensive and full-cycle services, focus on enterprise needs, build and utilize the China Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Service Network, and create the first batch of national public service demonstration platform bases for small and medium-sized enterprises The press conference of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Full text is as follows: Zhou Jianshe, Deputy Director of the News Bureau and Spokesperson of the State Council Information Office: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning! Welcome to the press conference of the State Council Information Office. Today, we have invited Mr. Zhang Yunming, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, to introduce the achievements in industrial and information technology development by 2025 and answer questions of interest to everyone. Also present at today's press conference are: Ms. Tao Qing, spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Director of the Operation Monitoring and Coordination Bureau, and Mr. Xie Cun, spokesperson and Director of the Information and Communication Development Department. Now, please welcome Mr. Zhang Yunming to give his introduction. Zhang Yunming, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, good morning! First of all, I would like to thank you for your long-term concern and support for the industrial and information technology sector. In 2025, facing profound and complex changes in both domestic and international situations, the industrial and information technology system will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the successive plenary sessions, firmly undertake the key task of achieving new industrialization, and the industrial economy will move forward under pressure, developing towards new and better directions, achieving effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth, with the main goals and tasks for the year successfully completed. Looking back at the development of industrial and information technology in 2025, it presents four characteristics: "stability," "progress," "newness," and "vitality." First, the "stability" trend continues to consolidate. We insist on focusing economic development efforts on the real economy, introducing a new round of ten key industry stability growth work plans, supporting major industrial provinces to take the lead, effectively driving stable growth in the industrial economy. In 2025, the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 5.9% year-on-year, the proportion of manufacturing added value in GDP remained stable, and the scale of manufacturing is expected to maintain the world's first position for 16 consecutive years. The total telecommunications business volume increased by 9.1% year-on-year. The contribution of the industrial and information technology sector to economic growth exceeded 40%, effectively playing the role of a "ballast stone." Second, the "progress" pace continues to accelerate. We remain unwavering in anchoring high-quality development as the primary task and solidly promote the intelligent, green, and integrated development of manufacturing. The added value of equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing above designated size increased by 9.2% and 9.4% year-on-year, respectively, with growth rates higher than that of industrial enterprises above designated size by 3.3 and 3.5 percentage points, and the proportion of these industries in all industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 2.2 and 0.8 percentage points compared to 2024. The digital transformation of manufacturing is being solidly advanced, with over 35,000 basic-level, over 8,200 advanced-level, and over 500 excellent-level smart factories established cumulatively, and 15 leading smart factories cultivated. The reduction of carbon emissions, pollution, and the expansion of green growth in the industry are being promoted in coordination, with over 8,000 national green factories cultivated cumulatively, and energy and water consumption per unit of added value in industrial enterprises above designated size continuously decreasing. Third, the "new" momentum continues to grow. We focus on promoting the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, and deeply implement key core technology tackling projects, industrial foundation reconstruction projects, and major technical equipment tackling projects. Breakthroughs have been achieved in major equipment such as ultra-large diameter shield machines and heavy-duty gas turbines, and artificial intelligence has injected strong momentum into industrial economic growth, with over 300 key technology reserves formed in the first phase of 6G technology testing The added value of industries such as integrated circuits and electronic special materials increased by 26.7% and 23.9% year-on-year, respectively, while the output of industrial robots grew by 28% year-on-year. The sales of new energy vehicles reached 16.49 million units, a year-on-year increase of 28.2%. Investment in emerging fields showed good momentum, with industries such as aviation and spacecraft manufacturing achieving double-digit growth. Fourth, the effects of "vitality" continue to emerge. We are accelerating the reform in key areas, implementing special actions to reduce the burden on enterprises, speeding up the clearance of overdue payments owed to enterprises, and promoting the implementation of policies that benefit enterprises, striving to create a business development environment that is "a pool of flowing water." The comprehensive rectification of "involution-style" competition has begun to show results, with the competitive ecology in key industries such as new energy vehicles and photovoltaics continuously improving. 5G and gigabit optical networks have been integrated into 91 of the 97 categories of the national economy, and the industrial internet has achieved full coverage of 41 industrial categories, injecting more vitality into economic and social development. We are strengthening the gradient cultivation of high-quality enterprises, with over 140,000 specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises cultivated cumulatively, and the number of high-tech enterprises within their validity period reaching 504,000. By 2025, the added value of specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprises above designated size is expected to grow by 9% year-on-year, and the total profit of high-tech enterprises above designated size in the first 11 months increased by 5.3% year-on-year. Looking back over the past year to the next five years, China's industrial economy has achieved new significant accomplishments during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, further demonstrating characteristics of resilience, potential, and vitality. We are confident in maintaining a stable and positive trend in the industrial economy in 2026. In the new year, the industrial and information technology system will earnestly implement the deployment of the Central Economic Work Conference, focusing on promoting high-quality development, adhering to the overall tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, better coordinating domestic economic work and international economic and trade struggles, better balancing development and security, vigorously advancing new industrialization, accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone, and focusing on stabilizing growth, strengthening innovation, promoting integration, optimizing governance, and preventing risks, ensuring a good start for the "15th Five-Year Plan." I will briefly introduce these situations. Based on the experience of last year, we have prepared a review material introducing the development of industry and information technology in 2025 and during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period for your reference. Next, my colleagues and I are willing to answer questions from reporters. Thank you all. Zhou Jianshe: Thank you, Deputy Minister Zhang Yunming, for your introduction. Now, please raise your hand to ask questions, and please announce your news organization before asking. Cover News Reporter: In recent years, what is the development situation of emerging industries and future industries in our country? The "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal suggests cultivating and expanding emerging industries and future industries. How can we promote implementation? Thank you. Zhang Yunming: Thank you for your question. I will answer this question. Since the "14th Five-Year Plan," the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has resolutely implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, coordinating the optimization and upgrading of traditional industries, developing and expanding emerging industries, and making forward-looking layouts for future industries. We are promoting technological breakthroughs, achievement transformation, and industrial development in an integrated manner, improving systems and mechanisms for supply-demand docking, collaborative tackling, resource sharing, and policy connection, and developing new types of productive forces tailored to local conditions, providing strong momentum for China's economic and social development, reflected in three "batches." First, a batch of innovative achievements with high "new content" is emerging. The "good ideas" in laboratories are continuously transformed into "good products" on production lines. Technologies such as perovskite materials, permanent magnet materials, and power batteries are at the international advanced level. New networks, high-speed communication, advanced computing, emerging software, and blockchain technologies are accelerating iteration. Prototypes of atomic clocks and magnetometers based on new quantum technologies have been successfully developed, and superconducting quantum computers and optical quantum computers have achieved quantum superiority. This means that these computers possess the computing power to surpass any classical computer on a specific problem. Brain-machine interface technology is accelerating its expansion from medical applications to education, industry, and other fields. Second, a batch of new products with broad application prospects is accelerating their entry into the market. Terminal products such as intelligent robots are continuously maturing and being put into use. Biomanufacturing products are expanding their application scope in industries such as pharmaceuticals, health, daily chemicals, beauty, and green energy. A series of new scenarios such as "5G+", "Industrial Internet+", "Robots+", and "Beidou+" are accelerating cultivation, providing a broad market space for the rapid industrialization of new products. Third, a batch of advantageous industries with strong international competitiveness is emerging. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, emerging industries such as new energy vehicles, photovoltaics, low-altitude equipment, and shipbuilding and marine engineering equipment are accelerating their development and growth, making "Made in China" even more "brilliant." By 2025, the production and sales of new energy vehicles will reach new highs, and the photovoltaic industry will develop steadily, injecting green power into global development. The number and variety of civilian drone products are continuously increasing. The shipbuilding industry is achieving simultaneous improvement in quality and quantity, with its industrial competitiveness continuously enhancing. Looking towards the 15th Five-Year Plan, in terms of emerging industries, we will deeply implement the action to develop and strengthen emerging industries to create new momentum, and the large-scale application demonstration action of new technologies, new products, and new scenarios in manufacturing. We will create national demonstration bases for the development of emerging industries, exert efforts from both supply and demand sides, and accelerate the cultivation of emerging pillar industries. In terms of future industries, we will implement the "Implementation Opinions on Promoting Innovation and Development of Future Industries," continuously carry out innovation tasks with "ranking and leading," organize and implement a batch of forward-looking and strategic major scientific and technological projects, support localities to build a batch of future industry pilot zones according to local conditions, and increase the investment of government investment funds, forming a good situation of competing development of future industries nationwide. That's all for my answers, thank you. Reporter from China Central Radio and Television: As a benchmark demonstration of intelligent manufacturing, the cultivation and development of leading intelligent factories have received much attention. What landmark achievements have they made in key technology breakthroughs and industrial chain collaboration? How will the next steps deepen cultivation and expand the demonstration and leading effects? Thank you. Zhang Yunming: Thank you for your question. I will ask my colleague Xie Cun to answer this question. Spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Director of the Department of Information and Communication Development, Xie Cun: Thank you for your question. Cultivating leading intelligent factories is a strategic measure for China to seize the opportunity of industrial intelligence development and build future manufacturing competitive advantages. Starting from 2025, we will work together with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Data Bureau, and other departments to jointly promote this work, aiming to create a batch of "Chinese models" that represent the highest level of global intelligent manufacturing, paving the way for the overall upgrade of China's manufacturing industry Currently, the first batch of 15 pilot factories has made a concentrated appearance at the 2025 World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference, achieving outstanding progress in three areas of cultivation: First, beneficial explorations have been made in manufacturing models. The pilot factories meet the production requirements of high efficiency, high precision, high flexibility, and high quality, setting a transformation benchmark for their respective industries. Some automotive factories have achieved flexible mixed-flow production of multiple models, some petrochemical factories have realized autonomous operation relying on digital twins, and some optical cable factories have conquered the extreme manufacturing processes of oversized preform rods. These transformations have led to an average increase in production efficiency of 29% and a reduction in product defect rates by 47%. Second, innovative breakthroughs have been achieved in manufacturing technology. Currently, artificial intelligence has penetrated over 70% of the business scenarios in pilot factories, accumulating more than 6,000 vertical domain models, driving the large-scale application of over 1,700 key intelligent manufacturing equipment and industrial software, forming a batch of industrial intelligences with perception, decision-making, and execution capabilities, promoting the evolution of intelligent manufacturing from "automation" to "autonomy." Third, collaborative upgrades have been driven in industrial value. Pilot factories not only provide high-end products but also extend high-value models such as large-scale customization, industrial chain collaboration, and predictive maintenance, transforming from "product manufacturers" to comprehensive providers of "products + services + solutions." Pilot factories export relevant capabilities to the entire industry, driving collaborative upgrades of over 1,300 upstream and downstream enterprises, promoting the overall industrial chain to leap towards high-end. Next, we will deeply implement the intelligent manufacturing project and continue to carry out gradient cultivation of intelligent factories. We will further expand the scale and establish more benchmarks. Support leading enterprises to explore future manufacturing models, continuously cultivate a batch of pilot factories, and lead the overall transformation of the industry. Further refine standards and promote knowledge sharing. Systematically summarize best practices to form replicable and promotable technical guidelines, standards, and solutions to share with the entire industry. Further open collaboration and contribute Chinese solutions. Promote pilot factories to become the source of technology, standards, and rules, and accelerate replication and promotion overseas, providing Chinese wisdom for the digital and intelligent transformation of global manufacturing. Let us look forward to pilot factories continuously injecting new momentum into "Made in China" and exploring new realms! That’s all I have to say, thank you. Jimu News Reporter: The Central Economic Work Conference has listed "adhering to domestic demand as the mainstay and building a strong domestic market" as the primary task. May I ask, what is the current development situation of the consumer goods industry? In 2026, how will we further adapt to consumption upgrades and improve the supply capacity of high-quality consumer goods to better meet consumer demand? Thank you. Zhang Yunming: Thank you for your question. I will ask my colleague Tao Qing to answer this question. Tao Qing, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Director of the Operation Monitoring Coordination Bureau: Thank you for your question. I will answer this question. The consumer goods industry is a traditional advantageous industry and an important livelihood industry in China. Currently, there are about 195,000 enterprises above designated size, employing over 25 million people, accounting for 37% and 34.3% of all designated size industries, respectively. In 2025, the added value of the consumer goods industry above designated size is expected to grow by 3.7% year-on-year, accounting for 26.1% of all designated size industries. In 2025, our ministry will deeply implement the "Special Action Plan to Boost Consumption," jointly issue and implement the "Implementation Plan for Enhancing the Adaptability of Consumer Goods Supply and Demand to Further Promote Consumption" with multiple departments, Mainly focusing on three aspects, continuously expanding domestic demand, optimizing supply, and better meeting the growing needs of the people for a better life. First, fully optimize the synergy between supply and demand, and continuously increase the supply of high-quality products. Organize and carry out consumption promotion activities such as "Foodie Season," "Upgrading Supply in Textiles and Clothing," and "Filial Piety and Elderly Shopping Season," cumulatively releasing 35 iconic products in biomanufacturing, 1,321 innovative textile products, 1,188 high-quality elderly products, and 1,021 upgraded and innovative consumer goods. Establish a quality safety traceability system for infant formula, striving to meet diverse consumption needs with high-quality supply, ensuring that the people can "find what they want to buy and feel more assured about their purchases." Second, strengthen brand strategy guidance and activate the endogenous power of domestic goods consumption. Deeply implement the strategy of "increasing varieties, improving quality, and creating brands" in the consumer goods industry, releasing the first batch of 93 enterprise brands and 43 regional brands of Chinese consumer products, organizing and hosting a consumer product conference, and improving the brand cultivation and promotion system. Focus on cultivating historically classic industries, creating "national trend boutique" products such as Chinese tea, silk, and porcelain, exploring new consumption scenarios, new business formats, and new models, and promoting domestic goods to "go beyond the circle" and "shine," becoming the "favorite" of the people's consumption. Third, solidify the foundation for industrial upgrading and build a solid support for high-quality supply. Issue and implement digital transformation plans for industries such as textiles, light industry, food, and pharmaceuticals. Strengthen the construction of characteristic industrial clusters in the consumer goods industry, releasing the first batch of 39 traditional advantageous food production areas and local specialty food industries for key cultivation, and 25 key cultivation lists for textile and clothing characteristic industrial agglomeration areas (counties) in the central and western regions under the "One County, One Policy" initiative, ensuring that the consumer market has both "smoky atmosphere" and "sense of technology." In the next step, our department will resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, closely follow the supply-demand synergy orientation, keep pace with the trend of consumption upgrading, optimize product supply, continuously create a matrix of Chinese consumer brands, improve the brand development ecosystem, and solidly promote the intelligent, green, and integrated development of the consumer goods industry, building a "hard support" for consumption supply, releasing consumption vitality with more pragmatic measures, enhancing consumption momentum, and promoting more domestic goods to gain fame domestically and go global, making consumption choices richer and consumption experiences more comfortable. That's all for my response, thank you. CNBC Reporter: Which industries will be prioritized for support in "AI + manufacturing"? How to balance the unemployment or foreign restrictions that may arise from innovative development? Thank you. Zhang Yunming: Thank you for your question, I will answer it. In 2025, global artificial intelligence technology will accelerate innovation and iteration, with deeper integration across various industries and fields. 2025 will also be a year of vibrant development and highlights for China's artificial intelligence industry. We will focus on both the development of the artificial intelligence industry and its deep application in the manufacturing sector, achieving significant results mainly reflected in four aspects. First, the foundation continues to be solidified. Domestic companies have released multiple artificial intelligence chip products, with intelligent computing power reaching 1,590 EFLOPS, and high-quality industry datasets emerging rapidly. Domestic large models are leading the global open-source ecosystem. According to relevant institutions' estimates, by 2025, the number of artificial intelligence companies in China will exceed 6,000, and the core industry scale is expected to surpass 1.2 trillion yuan Second, the product offerings are increasingly rich. AI smartphones, AI computers, AI glasses, and other artificial intelligence terminal products are rapidly entering households. In the first three quarters of 2025, the shipment volume of smart glasses exceeded 1.78 million pairs, with nearly 80% being AI glasses, adding more technological and futuristic elements to production and life. Third, applications are continuously expanding. Currently, artificial intelligence applications have covered key industries such as steel, non-ferrous metals, electricity, and telecommunications, gradually penetrating into key links such as product research and development, quality inspection, and customer service. For example, a home appliance company used its self-developed "5G+AI" industrial vision inspection system to improve the inspection accuracy rate to 99.98%, and the per capita production efficiency increased by 275%. Fourth, the ecosystem is accelerating its prosperity. The national artificial intelligence industry investment fund has been launched, with a funding scale of 60 billion yuan. The implementation of a special action for artificial intelligence standardization is underway, with more than 40 key national standards and industry standards developed and released by 2025, along with the incubation and landing of a number of key open-source projects such as intelligent agent protocols and operator libraries. Recently, our department, in conjunction with seven other departments, issued the "Implementation Opinions on the Special Action of 'Artificial Intelligence + Manufacturing'," and developed supporting industry transformation guidelines and enterprise application guidelines. In the next step, we will take the implementation of the "Implementation Opinions" as a starting point to accelerate the high-quality development of the artificial intelligence industry. We will focus on technological innovation, accelerate breakthroughs in key technologies such as training chips and heterogeneous computing power. We will promote integrated applications, focusing on software programming, new material research and development, pharmaceutical research and development, and information communication industries, systematically promoting breakthroughs in large and small models and intelligent agents. We will cultivate enterprises, stimulating the emergence of more empowering application service providers. We will enhance ecosystem construction, accelerate the formulation of urgently needed industry standards, and improve the open-source mechanism for artificial intelligence. We will strengthen safety governance, enhance algorithm security protection, training data protection, and other key applications, and improve enterprises' ability to prevent ethical risks. Regarding the employment issues you mentioned, I want to say that this is an inevitable problem that will be encountered in the development of artificial intelligence. Technological progress often accompanies the restructuring of employment structures and the iteration of job positions. However, restructuring does not mean disappearance, and iteration does not mean replacement; we must view the problems in development with a developmental perspective. This is also a problem we must solve; every country will face similar challenges in the process of developing artificial intelligence. We will adhere to application-driven approaches, fully leverage the empowering role of artificial intelligence integration, and continuously enhance the AI literacy of workers while promoting the reconstruction of organizational models, work methods, and production paradigms, cultivating more compound talents who understand both artificial intelligence and manufacturing. This is also a problem that has been proven to be solvable by historical development laws. From the industrial revolution to the information technology revolution, every major technological change has raised concerns about employment, but ultimately, productivity improvements, optimization of employment structures, and the creation of new job positions have been achieved through industrial transformation. Finally, I want to say that in the face of the development of artificial intelligence, we must uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, strengthen international exchanges and cooperation with an open and win-win attitude, and the new challenges brought by artificial intelligence can certainly be effectively resolved, and we should all be confident in this. Thank you! Shenzhen Satellite TV Reporter: We have noticed that the industrial green and low-carbon transformation will accelerate in 2025, and the green manufacturing system will continue to improve. May I ask what progress has been made in promoting industrial green and low-carbon development? How will we further support green, low-carbon, and high-quality development in the future? Thank you. Zhang Yunming: Thank you for your question. I will ask my colleague Tao Qing to answer this question. Tao Qing: Thank you for your question. I will answer this question. The advancement of intelligent production technology and green energy technology has not only empowered the greening of industries but also fostered green industrialization. Our department has consistently implemented the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, actively cultivating new momentum for green development, seeking innovation in green initiatives, and achieving positive results. First, invigorating new vitality in traditional industries. We are deeply promoting energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformations, driving traditional industries to achieve green growth through carbon reduction and pollution control. For example, using hydrogen as a reducing agent in ironmaking can significantly reduce pollutant and carbon dioxide emissions from the source. Currently, large-scale hydrogen metallurgy projects in Hebei, Guangdong, and other regions are being put into production, which can reduce carbon emissions by more than 50% annually compared to traditional processes, creating a new landscape for the development of the steel industry. Second, providing new energy-saving and environmental protection equipment. The scale of China's energy-saving and environmental protection equipment industry continues to expand, and its innovation capabilities have significantly improved. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, our department supports the promotion and application of over a thousand technologies and equipment for energy saving and carbon reduction, water conservation, and pollution reduction, carrying out major innovation tasks for environmental protection technology and equipment, strengthening breakthroughs and supply-demand matching, and providing key equipment support for the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. Third, developing new business formats for green energy. We are actively adapting to the new power system and enhancing the local consumption level of renewable energy. We are collaboratively promoting the construction and application of industrial green microgrids and digital energy-carbon management centers, releasing typical application scenarios and cases, and guiding integrated applications such as wind-solar-storage-hydrogen. By 2025, the average utilization rate of renewable energy in national green computing power facilities will exceed 70%. The Central Economic Work Conference has identified "adhering to 'dual carbon' leadership and promoting comprehensive green transformation" as a key task for next year's economic work. In the next step, we will firmly establish and practice the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," focusing on cultivating new momentum for green development from three aspects: In terms of technology-driven initiatives, we will focus on the needs of industrial development, addressing challenges such as flexible hydrogen production and intelligent operation of microgrids, developing key energy-saving and environmental protection equipment and integrated system solutions that are suitable for various scenarios, and forming a technology equipment R&D and promotion mechanism that deeply integrates enterprises, academia, and research. In terms of application-driven initiatives, we will be market demand-oriented, guiding various resource factors to gather towards green and low-carbon development, promoting advanced and applicable technology equipment from "demonstration application" to "scale promotion," and forming a virtuous cycle of technological iteration, industrial upgrading, and model innovation. In terms of standard leadership, we will revise and formulate a batch of basic general and technical specification standards in the fields of industrial green microgrids, clean low-carbon hydrogen, and energy-saving and environmental protection equipment, promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements into standards, maintaining bottom lines, creating benchmarks, and comprehensively strengthening the implementation and application of standards. Thank you Reporter from Dazhong News: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are an important support for economic resilience. How is the development of SMEs in our country expected to be in 2025? What further steps will be taken to promote the high-quality development of SMEs? Thank you. Zhang Yunming: Thank you for your question; I will answer this. The development of SMEs is expected to maintain a steady and positive trend in 2025, which can be summarized as two "steady progresses." The first "steady progress" is the steady growth of major economic indicators. In 2025, the added value of SMEs in the industrial sector above designated size is expected to grow by 6.9% year-on-year, and the SME export index for December is projected to be 52.4%, remaining in the expansion range for 21 consecutive months. The second "steady progress" is the steady improvement in development quality. A total of 17,600 specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprises will be cultivated, over 140,000 specialized and innovative SMEs, and more than 600,000 technology and innovation-oriented SMEs. The R&D investment intensity of specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprises will reach 7%, with a total of 460,000 invention patents, averaging 26.6 patents per household. However, we also see that many SMEs currently face difficulties and challenges in areas such as market orders, talent recruitment and training, capital turnover, and transformation and upgrading, which require further improvement of policy measures and increased support. In 2026, our department will adhere to the "two unwavering principles," emphasizing both service and management, as well as development and support, to improve the policy and regulatory system, enterprise cultivation system, and public service system, promoting the high-quality development of SMEs. First, continuously optimize the business development environment. Develop the "14th Five-Year Plan" for promoting the development of SMEs. Fully implement the "Regulations on Ensuring Payment to SMEs," and deeply promote actions to accelerate the clearance of overdue payments to enterprises, resolutely curbing new arrears and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of SMEs. Accelerate the revision of the classification standards for SMEs, further optimize classification indicators and methods, and enhance the precision and effectiveness of policy support. Second, increase efforts to cultivate more specialized and innovative enterprises. Accelerate the establishment of mechanisms to promote the development and growth of specialized and innovative SMEs, and implement a three-year action plan for the gradient cultivation of quality enterprises. Explore the establishment of a number of specialized and innovative empowerment centers. Improve the gradient cultivation system for characteristic industrial clusters of SMEs. Perfect the mechanism for large enterprises to "issue lists" and SMEs to "respond to lists," promoting collaborative and integrated development among large, medium, and small enterprises. Third, make every effort to provide comprehensive and full-cycle services. Focus on enterprise needs and effectively utilize the China SME Service Network. Create the first batch of national public service demonstration platforms (bases) for SMEs. Collaborate with relevant departments to carry out the "Together for Enterprises" SME service action, continuously strengthening high-quality and efficient public services in areas such as market expansion, digital empowerment, financing promotion, talent recruitment and training, management improvement, and international cooperation, to support the high-quality development of SMEs. That’s all I have to say, thank you. Reporter from Beijing Youth Daily: I would like to ask about the construction of information infrastructure. In recent years, our country has been insisting on moderately advanced construction of information infrastructure, providing strong support for the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy. What is the overall situation of information infrastructure construction now? Can you provide an introduction? Additionally, what key tasks are planned for the next steps? Thank you. Daniel Zhang: Thank you for your question. I will have my colleague Xie Cun answer this question. Xie Cun: Thank you for your question. I will answer this question. As you mentioned, moderate advancement is one of our main experiential practices in building information infrastructure. Following this experience, we have built the world's largest and technologically advanced information infrastructure. Here are some data for reference: In terms of mobile networks, we have built 4.838 million 5G base stations, with 5G coverage in all towns and 95% of administrative villages, and the 5G evolution network (also known as 5G-A) has covered over 330 cities. In terms of fixed networks, the number of 10GPON ports in the gigabit optical network has reached 31.62 million, with 2/3 of cities nationwide meeting the gigabit city standard, and pilot construction of 10-gigabit optical networks has begun in some cities. In terms of computing power facilities, we have built 42 WanKa intelligent computing clusters, with intelligent computing power exceeding 1590 EFLOPS, ranking among the top in the world, strongly supporting the rapid development of China's artificial intelligence industry. Building well also requires good usage. In recent years, we have also focused on promoting the application of information infrastructure at all levels according to the principle of "combining construction and use, promoting construction through use." At the individual user level, the number of 5G users has exceeded 1.2 billion, accounting for 65.9% of all mobile phone users, with an average data usage of 23GB per user by December 2025; the number of gigabit broadband users has reached 240 million, accounting for 34.5% of all broadband users. In vertical industries, there are over 23,000 "5G + Industrial Internet" construction projects, with new models and new formats such as "dark factories," "unmanned mines," and "smart ports" gradually growing, becoming a key driving force for the upgrading of traditional industries. In the future, we will continue to iterate and upgrade to maintain technological leadership. We follow the principle of "commercializing one generation while researching the next," continuously promoting the steady improvement of information and communication technology capabilities. Currently, China's share of global essential patents for 5G standards is 42%; the first phase of 6G research and development has completed technical testing, forming over 300 key technology reserves, and the second phase of 6G technical testing has recently been initiated. Next, our department will focus on coordinating the three aspects of "construction, use, and research," highlighting the three keywords of "upgrade, iterate, and deepen," to promote high-quality development in the information and communication industry. Upgrading means promoting network upgrades. We will implement a special "broadband upgrade" project, deploying 5G-A networks and 10-gigabit optical networks in urban areas and key scenarios, promoting the upgrade from "dual gigabit" to "dual 10-gigabit." We will accelerate the development of the mobile Internet of Things "everything smartly connected." We will strengthen the construction of the computing power network system and deeply implement the metropolitan "millisecond computing" special action. Iteration means accelerating technological iteration. We will accelerate the research and development of 6G technology, proactively layout and cultivate the application industry ecosystem for 6G. We will strengthen the research and development layout for next-generation optical communication, quantum information, and more. Deepening means promoting the deepening of applications. We will accelerate the integration of 5G, industrial Internet, gigabit optical networks, computing power, and other technologies into industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, culture and tourism, education, and healthcare, fully serving the digital and intelligent development of the economy and society. That’s all for my response, thank you Hong Kong Economic Journal Reporter: "Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, the speed of digital technology innovation in our country has been accelerating, and the digital industry has been developing rapidly. What characteristics are being presented? Thank you." Zhang Yunming: Thank you for your question, I will answer this. The digital industry is a key support for promoting the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy, and it is also an important carrier for developing new quality productivity. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, our country's digital industry has developed rapidly, with quality and efficiency continuously improving, achieving significant progress in three aspects: "scale, innovation capability, and empowering applications." The scale continues to grow, with major provinces playing an increasingly prominent role as "stabilizers" for industrial development. Preliminary estimates indicate that by the end of 2025, the revenue of China's digital industry will be approximately 38.3 trillion yuan, achieving a profit of 3.1 trillion yuan, representing cumulative growth of about 39.5% and 48.4% compared to the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2020). By 2025, the revenue scale of the digital industry in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Beijing, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Shandong, Sichuan, Fujian, Anhui, Hubei, and other provinces and cities will rank among the top 10 in the country, contributing over 90% to the growth of national digital industry revenue. Innovation capability is being accelerated, with the role of cultivating new momentum as "accelerators" becoming more prominent. Innovative achievements in the software industry are continuously emerging, the basic software ecosystem is continuously improving, and the number of devices running the open-source Harmony operating system has approached 1.2 billion. The artificial intelligence industry is thriving, with a series of phenomenal innovative achievements continuously emerging, and various terminal products are becoming increasingly rich. Digital products in new fields and new tracks are driving a new round of consumption upgrades, becoming new growth points for economic development. Empowering applications are being advanced in depth, with the role of "connectors" for real integration becoming more prominent. The integration and application of the industrial internet have achieved full coverage of major industrial categories, and a multi-level, systematic industrial internet platform has been initially established, with the number of connected industrial devices on key national platforms exceeding 100 million. Intelligent technologies are deeply integrated into core production and manufacturing processes, with 100 high-level 5G factories reaching a globally leading level, with average capacity increasing by 25%, product quality improving by 21%, and operating costs decreasing by 19%. Together with the Ministry of Finance, we are supporting 101 pilot cities for the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting the digital transformation of 45,000 small and medium-sized enterprises through a combination of "points, lines, and surfaces." In the next step, we will continue to accurately grasp the development trends and laws of the digital industry, accelerate technological innovation and empowering applications, strengthen standard leadership and ecological construction, enhance policy coordination and element guarantees, and vigorously promote the high-quality development of the digital industry. That's all for my answer, thank you. The Paper Reporter: We know that the information and communication industry is closely related to everyone's life. What measures will the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology take to promote the information and communication industry to serve people's livelihoods by 2025? How will you further promote information and communication services to be more convenient, beneficial, and advantageous for the people? Thank you. Zhang Yunming: Thank you for your question. I will ask my colleague Xie Cun to answer this. Xie Cun: Thank you for your question. Information and communication services relate to the vital interests and perceptual experiences of the general public. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has always adhered to a people-centered development philosophy, implementing pragmatic measures to improve people's livelihoods. In the first half of 2025, we guided the release of "Ten Heartwarming Services in Information and Communication," and since the launch of this initiative, we have achieved a number of positive results: First, telecommunications services are more convenient to access. "Online processing" now covers various telecommunications services, with over 91% of transactions conducted online. Video customer service has served over 60 million users, allowing the public to "make fewer trips and feel more at ease." We organized basic telecommunications companies to release standardized telephone marketing measures, publicly listing telecommunications pricing plans, upgrading the cap on excessive data usage, and providing a 7-day appointment service for broadband cancellations. We also remind users of key scenarios such as automatic renewals via SMS and phone calls, making consumption more intuitive and reassuring. Second, digital services for the elderly are more considerate. Basic telecommunications companies have achieved full coverage of dedicated service counters in their own business halls, providing elderly customers with priority green channels for service processing and supporting auxiliary tools. We are accelerating the promotion of "door-to-door service" and "one-on-one teaching" for elderly assistance. The "one-click access to human customer service" dedicated line has served over 650 million people. A total of 3,092 websites and apps closely related to the lives of the elderly have completed adaptations for the elderly and accessibility improvements, continuously enhancing service convenience and accessibility. Third, the use of secondary numbers is safer. Basic telecommunications companies have renewed over 250 million secondary numbers in batches before issuing them, unbinding over 1 billion internet applications. We have launched an "active renewal" service entry in official apps and mini-programs, supporting the unbinding of historical connections with 239 commonly used internet applications, processing over 360 million unbinding requests for more than 5.8 million users. Fourth, users' legal rights are better protected. We are promoting terminal companies to add functions for recording sensitive permission calls such as microphones, cameras, and location, allowing users to view and disable them independently, thereby better protecting personal information security. We are promoting transparency in algorithm recommendations and providing users with convenient options to disable personalized recommendation services. We are promoting "Do Not Disturb" services for incoming calls and messages, innovatively offering personalized features such as intelligent answering, call verification reminders, and international call protection to help safeguard users' peace of mind. In the next steps, we will continue to focus on the concerns and expectations of the public, advancing the "Ten Heartwarming Services in Information and Communication" to deepen and solidify our efforts, enhancing the supply of digital services, and ensuring clear and reassuring consumption. We will strengthen the promotion of the achievements in digital services for the elderly, providing higher quality and more convenient digital products and services for the elderly and disabled. We will expand the coverage of the "secondary number renewal" initiative, promoting access to more internet applications closely related to people's livelihoods. We will improve the long-term governance mechanism for personal information protection in apps, enhancing the public's sense of gain, happiness, and security. That concludes my response, thank you. Reporter from Upstream News: In the past year, the humanoid robot industry has developed rapidly. What level has China's humanoid robot industry reached in terms of complete machine development, breakthroughs in core components, and the implementation of commercial scenarios? What will be the focus of industry cultivation moving forward? Thank you Daniel Zhang: Thank you for your question. I will answer your question. From the stunning debut on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala in 2025 to competing in sports events, humanoid robots have showcased their "Kung Fu mode," and their development speed is evident. Driven by artificial intelligence, the industry is evolving beyond expectations. By 2025, the number of domestic complete machine enterprises will exceed 140, and more than 330 humanoid robot products will be released. The industry generally believes that 2025 will be the year of mass production for humanoid robots, with the industry poised for takeoff and a broad outlook. In the past year, we have promoted significant progress in humanoid robot technology and products according to the idea of "innovation-driven, scenario-led, and ecological collaboration." Currently, our country's humanoid robots are capable of "standing firm, walking steadily, and running fast," and are accelerating the transition from "moving on stage" and "running in competitions" to "being used at home" and "working in factories." We are focusing on "hard power" to strengthen the technological foundation. We support the construction of embodied intelligence and humanoid robot innovation centers in Beijing and Shanghai, develop open-source public machines like "Qinglong" and "Tiangong," and the "Kaiwu" operating system, promoting breakthroughs in basic software and hardware. We facilitate "quick landing" and promote application demonstrations. We deeply explore high-value scenarios for humanoid robots to serve people's livelihoods and work on-site, promoting the large-scale development of new technologies and products. We create a "good ecology" and strengthen multi-party collaboration. We established the Standardization Technical Committee for Humanoid Robots and Embodied Intelligence under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, with over 70 leading enterprises and research institutions actively participating. In the field of embodied intelligence, we support the construction of a national artificial intelligence application pilot base, creating an integrated innovation hub for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence covering "R&D - design - testing - manufacturing - application." Next, we will continue to promote technological innovation and iterative upgrades in humanoid robots, using humanoid robots as a small entry point to drive the development of the large embodied intelligence industry. We will focus on "attacking technology," continuously organizing tasks such as revealing and leading projects, laying out major national science and technology projects, and enhancing the technical level of large models, integrated joints, and computing power chips. We will continue to "ensure safety," strengthen inspection and testing of humanoid robot product quality, network and data security, and conduct research and management services related to scientific and technological ethics to ensure high-quality development with high-level safety. We will accelerate "strengthening the ecology," enhance the support of the national artificial intelligence industry investment fund for humanoid robots, build an open-source community for humanoid robots, and release guidelines for the construction of a comprehensive standardization system for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence, promoting the global sharing of innovative achievements. That’s all for my answer, thank you. Zhou Jianshe: Last question. Hongxing News Reporter: We have noticed that in recent years, China's new materials industry has entered a period of accelerated development, with the industry scale continuously expanding. What work has been done to promote innovation, research and development, and application of new materials? How can we further promote the development of the new materials industry? Thank you. Daniel Zhang: Thank you for your question. I will ask my colleague Tao Qing to answer this question. Tao Qing: Thank you for your question. The General Secretary emphasized that the new materials industry is a strategic and foundational industry, as well as a key area for high-tech competition. We must strive to catch up and surpass. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in conjunction with relevant departments and local governments, is vigorously promoting the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation in new materials, significantly enhancing the development level and supply assurance capability of new materials. We have focused on three main areas of work: The first area is to strengthen key breakthroughs. We will effectively organize and implement major national science and technology projects and industrial foundation reconstruction projects, strengthen the innovative role of enterprises, establish upstream and downstream cooperation mechanisms around key downstream application fields, and carry out systematic collaborative innovation. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, we have made breakthroughs in a number of key materials, such as the global first application of high-performance carbon fiber composite materials in the main load-bearing structure of commercial subway train bodies, achieving an overall weight reduction of 11%. Each train can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 130 tons per year, promoting the lightweight and green upgrade of urban rail transit. The second area is to strengthen promotion and application. Focusing on the promotion and application bottlenecks faced by new materials in the early market entry phase, we have deeply organized and implemented the first batch of new materials insurance compensation policies, expanded the quantity and duration of support for the first batch of new materials, alleviated user procurement concerns, and encouraged localities to improve first batch policies according to local conditions, accelerating the promotion of first batch materials. So far, we have promoted new material products worth over 55 billion yuan into the market, supporting the Shenzhou 21 manned spacecraft and enabling the C919 large passenger aircraft to soar in the blue sky and intelligent EMUs to travel across the country. The third area is to strengthen capacity building. We have established a system of five key platforms for new materials covering the entire process of material research and development, pilot testing, material production, testing and verification, and material application. We are accelerating the synchronous testing, verification, and iterative upgrading of new materials with end products, providing nearly 3,000 batches of new material application verification services and over 1.5 million testing and evaluation services, serving 230,000 enterprises. We have released over 500 new material standards, leading the optimization and upgrading of advanced basic materials, key strategic materials, and cutting-edge new materials. In the next step, our ministry will resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, fully leverage the advantages of the new national system and the super-large-scale market, focus on meeting the real needs of key application fields, aim to lead industrial development through material innovation, and take advanced basic materials, key strategic materials, cutting-edge new materials, and "artificial intelligence + materials" as development directions. We will promote the collaborative innovation of advanced materials along the entire chain, strengthen policy coordination, financial support, talent supply, and element assurance, and create a good ecosystem to promote the research and application of new materials, comprehensively enhancing the innovation capability and development efficiency of the new materials industry. That concludes my response, thank you. Zhou Jianshe: Well, that concludes today's press conference. Thank you to the three speakers and all the journalist friends. Goodbye everyone!