The following document is China’s plan for applying high technology to the field of transportation. The plan sets qualitative goals for transport-related technological achievements for 2025, 2030, and 2035, and calls for the integration of technologies such as AI, blockchain, and cloud computing into China’s traffic, transportation, freight, shipping, and logistics sectors.

The Chinese source text is available online at: https://xxgk.mot.gov.cn/2020/jigou/kjs/202203/t20220325_3647752.html

An archived version of the Chinese source text is available online at: https://perma.cc/3H78-LET3

Outline of the Medium- to Long-Term Development Plan for Scientific and Technological Innovation in the Transportation Field (2021–2035)

Pursuant to the Outline for Building China into a Transportation Powerhouse¹ (《交通强国建设纲要》), and the National Medium- to Long-Term Science and Technology Development Plan (2021-2035) (《国家中长期科学和技术发展规划（2021—2035）》), this plan outline has been prepared in order to thoroughly implement the Party Central Committee’s strategic deployments with regard to accelerating the construction of China into a science and technology (S&T) powerhouse and a transportation powerhouse, and coordinate promotion of S&T innovation-based transportation development.”

1. Basis of Development

Since the 18th Party Congress [in 2012], the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of important instructions on S&T innovation and transportation work has been thoroughly implemented in the transportation sector, and remarkable results have been achieved in the promotion of transportation S&T innovation. Our transportation infrastructure construction technology ranks among the world’s best. A number of world-class projects, including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Beijing Daxing International Airport, have been completed and operated. Some types of transportation equipment are the best in the world, and deep-water high-precision gravel leveling barges, jumbo trailing suction hopper dredgers, and other major engineering equipment, as well as Fuxing China Standardized Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains, C919 large passenger aircraft, and other conveyance (载运) equipment represent our Made in China capabilities. New generation information technology (IT) is widely used in the field of transportation, the development of intelligent highways, intelligent shipping, intelligent high-speed rail, intelligent civil aviation, and intelligent warehousing and distribution has been rapid, and the level of transportation safety technical defense (技防) and emergency response capabilities have been significantly improved. Transportation S&T innovation capacity has been further strengthened, a number of key industry S&T innovation platforms have been identified in artificial intelligence (AI), biosafety, and other fields, and a number of national transportation science popularization bases (国家交通运输科普基地) have been built. The S&T talent cadre continues to grow, its structure and level are being optimized, and numbers of high-level S&T innovation leaders, innovation teams in key fields, and innovation talent training demonstration bases are emerging at an accelerating pace. Institutions and mechanisms for transportation S&T innovation continue to improve, mechanisms for “science-transportation synergy” (“科交协同”) cooperation and joint transportation technology innovation conferences, etc., have been established, and the environment for transforming S&T achievements into practical applications (科技成果转化) is being optimized. At the same time, there are still some shortcomings and weaknesses in transportation S&T innovation. Basic research and applied basic research are inadequate, the application of cutting-edge technological innovations is still a shortcoming, and in some areas reserves of key and core technology (关键核心技术) research are insufficient. The S&T innovation system still needs to be refined, the S&T innovation chain has yet to be optimized, high-level S&T innovation platforms and high-level leading talents still need to be cultivated, and international S&T cooperation needs to be strengthened further.

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1. Translator’s note: This translation renders the Chinese word 强国 qiángguó—which literally means “strong nation”—in English as “powerhouse,” as in the phrase “transportation powerhouse” (交通强国). For a more thorough discussion in English of the Chinese word qiángguó, see: https://www.newamerica.org/cybersecurity-initiative/digichina/blog/lexicon-wangluo-qiangguo/.