China's Xi doubles down on self-reliance, rallying officials to bolster manufacturing
President Xi Jinping says self-reliance in advanced manufacturing is the right path for China and the bedrock for its future economic development, sending a clear message on Beijing's commitment to extending made-in-China advantages as external uncertainties weigh on the economy.
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His comments came on Monday while visiting a state-owned producer of bearings in Luoyang city, Henan province, where he rallied officials to dial up efforts to develop the manufacturing sector.
'China has always adhered to the path of developing the real economy. From the past reliance on imported matches, soap and iron, to now becoming the world's largest manufacturing country with the most complete industrial categories,' Xi was quoted by Xinhua as saying.
'We have taken the right path,' he told workers at the factory of the state-owned Luoyang Bearing Group, whose history dates back to the 1950s and whose products were used in key national projects such as the Three Gorges Hydropower Station and manned spaceships. 'We must continue to empower manufacturing sectors, insist on self-reliance and try to grasp core technologies.'
Xi added that China also needs to promote production-education-research integration, as well as the cultivation of a high-calibre labour force.
01:22
China rolls out world's largest fleet of driverless mining trucks powered by Huawei tech
China rolls out world's largest fleet of driverless mining trucks powered by Huawei tech
The reinforced emphasis on manufacturing and tech upgrades comes at a time when China is locked in a trade and tech rivalry with the United States, and against the backdrop of intensifying geopolitical complexities.
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