The recent 2024 government work report highlights the successful construction of China’s first domestically produced large cruise ship, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s shipbuilding industry. Wang Qihong, a deputy to the National People’s Congress and director of China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s 725 Institute, emphasized the industry’s rapid development and remarkable achievements in recent years.
China has established a comprehensive shipbuilding industrial system, maintaining a global lead in completed shipbuilding volume, new orders, and current order volume. “We are in a critical phase of transitioning from a major shipbuilding country to a powerful one,” Wang stated. He underscored the importance of leading in shipbuilding technology and material innovation on the world stage. “With each generation of materials comes a generation of equipment. Major innovations and breakthroughs in materials will lead to a qualitative change in shipbuilding technology,” he added.
The strategic significance of the shipbuilding industry has been a priority for China, with continuous improvements in technological levels, innovation capacity, and comprehensive strength through effective policy implementation. This focus has enhanced international competitiveness and secured a stable share in the global market.
In an interview, Zhang Jinlan, an NPC deputy and researcher at China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s 719 Institute, stated, “Shipbuilding, as a representation of China’s advanced productive forces and an essential pillar of the national economy, should focus on national strategy, modern industrial system needs, and its own development requirements.” The current government work report calls for advancing the modernization of the industrial system and accelerating the development of new quality productive forces.
Zhang believes that new quality productive forces represent a leap in productivity, predominantly driven by technological innovation. To cultivate these forces within the shipbuilding industry, she suggests strategies such as fostering innovative talents, utilizing new production tools like big data and artificial intelligence, and integrating innovation chains, industrial chains, funding chains, and talent chains to enhance the transformation of scientific achievements into industry.
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New quality productive forces boost China's shipbuilding industry
cgtn.com
