China releases guideline for industrial internet development

BEIJING - China's cabinet has unveiled a guideline for developing the "industrial internet," integration of industry and the internet.

By 2025, industrial internet infrastructure covering all regions and sectors should be basically complete, according to the State Council guideline.

By 2035, China will lead the world in key sectors of the industrial internet.

By the middle of the century, China should be among the top countries in terms of the overall strength of its industrial internet.

The development of industrial internet is a must for China's manufacturing sector amid international competition, said Chen Zhaoxiong, vice minister of industry and information technology.

The guideline listed major tasks and projects, including increasing the internet speed and reducing costs, setting industrial internet standards, establishing innovation centers and improving network security.

Equal market access will be expanded, fiscal support will be strengthened and direct financing will be increased, the guideline said.

Priority will be given to the development of advanced manufacturing that is smart and green, according to the guideline.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has selected 206 pilot projects for smart manufacturing, of which 28 are related to industrial internet innovation, said Xie Shaofeng, an official with the ministry.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Monday more energy will be channeled into a range of advanced manufacturing sectors including rail transit, automobiles and agricultural machinery during the next three years.

Core competitiveness in chosen sectors will be substantially improved, the NDRC said, stressing combined development of the real economy and the internet.

Other sectors included high-end medical apparatus and medicine, new materials and robotics.

As its advantage in cheap labor fades, China has encouraged domestic manufacturers to move up global value chain. The "Made in China 2025" strategy, equivalent to Germany's Industry 4.0, was announced in 2015.