Former PRC Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei, in a March 2021 speech, contends that China needs 30 more years to develop into a true “manufacturing powerhouse.” Miao states that China needs to devote more time and attention to its manufacturing industry to reduce its dependency on foreign technology and talent.

The Chinese source text is available online at: http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2021lh/2021-03/07/c_1211054597.htm

An archived version of the Chinese source text is available online at: https://perma.cc/BK6A-9Y23?type=image

[Xinhua editor’s note] The second plenum of the Fourth Session of the 13th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee was held at 9 am on March 7 in the Great Hall of the People. Members delivered speeches at the meeting.

Miao Wei, member of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), vice chairman of the Economic Committee of the National Committee of the CPPCC, and former Minister of Industry and Information Technology

Promoting the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry is a major strategic task in China’s economic development at present and in the future. In the four-echelon pattern of global manufacturing, China is in the third echelon, and it will take at least 30 years to achieve the goal of [building China into] a manufacturing powerhouse.¹ In recent years, China’s manufacturing industry has made great achievements, but the tendency towards “big but not strong” and “complete but not good” (全而不优) has not been fundamentally changed. Basic capabilities are still weak, key and core technologies are controlled by others (受制于人), and the risk of “bottlenecks” (“卡脖子”) and “chain drops” (“掉链子”) has increased significantly. The premature and rapid decline of the manufacturing industry’s share of GDP will not only drag down current economic growth and affect urban employment, but will also bring potential industrial safety hazards and weaken China’s capacity to counter economic risks and its international competitiveness. As we enter the new stage of development, implement the new development concept, and build the new development pattern, it is essential that we accelerate the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry. We must maintain strategic determination and strategic clarity, deeply understand the gaps and deficiencies, set goals and not relax, and make greater efforts to promote the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry. Here are several thoughts and suggestions.

1. Translator’s note: CSET has chosen to translate the Chinese term 制造强国 as “manufacturing powerhouse”; an alternative translation would be “manufacturing superpower.” For a more detailed discussion of the Chinese word 强国 and its nuances, see: https://www.newamerica.org/cybersecurity-initiative/digichina/blog/lexicon-wangluo-qiangguo/