President Wang Ruixiang accepted an interview with Economic Daily: Advancing towards becoming a strong mechanical manufacturing country with high-quality development
The mechanical industry is an industry that provides technical equipment for the national economy and defense construction, and is an important pillar and leading industry of the national economy. With the progress of the People's Republic of China and under the guidance of the correct line and principles of the Party, especially the theory of reform and opening up and socialism with Chinese characteristics, China's machinery industry has experienced over 40 years of leapfrog development through self-reliance, arduous entrepreneurship, and reform and opening up. The overall appearance has undergone historic changes and remarkable achievements have been made.
Standing at a new historical starting point, how will the machinery industry accurately grasp the new development stage, seize and make good use of new development opportunities, fully implement the new development concept, actively integrate into the new development pattern, and strive to write a new chapter in building a strong machinery country? The Economic Daily interviewed President Wang Ruixiang on this matter.
Establish the status of a major mechanical manufacturing country
Reporter: Under the leadership of the Party, what significant changes has the machinery industry made in recent years? What are the highlights?
Wang Ruixiang: The economic output of the machinery industry accounts for more than two-thirds of the domestic equipment manufacturing industry and more than one-fifth of the national industry. Under the leadership of the Party, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Party, and with the promotion of a favorable macro environment and relevant policy measures in China, the entire industry has worked together to overcome difficulties and achieved remarkable results, effectively ensuring the needs of the modernization of the national economy. At the same time, the machinery industry has gradually embarked on a path of transformation, upgrading, and high-quality development from years of sustained high-speed growth.
One is the rapid growth of economic scale and the continuous consolidation of its position as a major manufacturing country. Over the past 20 years, the number of large-scale enterprises in the machinery industry has increased from 33600 to 92300; The asset size increased from 1.96 trillion yuan in 2000 to 26.52 trillion yuan in 2020. The main business revenue increased from 1.37 trillion yuan in 2000 to 22.85 trillion yuan in 2020. We have firmly established our position as a major mechanical manufacturing country in the world, effectively ensuring the needs of the modernization of the national economy.
The second is the continuous enhancement of innovation capability, and the fruitful achievements of independent innovation. Driven by the innovation driven strategy, the technological innovation system of the machinery industry was further strengthened, and a number of innovation platforms such as the National Engineering Research Center, the National Technology Innovation Center and the National Manufacturing Innovation Center were built. It has played an important role in accelerating the improvement of China's mechanical industry technology research and development, engineering testing capabilities, collaborative innovation level, and promoting the formation of competitive advantages of China's mechanical products in domestic and foreign markets. At the same time, a batch of major technological equipment with high technological content has achieved breakthrough development one after another.
The third is the continuous optimization of industrial structure and the rapid development of emerging industries. In recent years, while equipment manufacturing capabilities have improved, the industrial structure of the machinery industry has also been continuously optimized, and production concentration has been increasing. The three major groups of electricians account for over 70% of the country's total production, while the top ten car manufacturers account for nearly 90% of the country's total production. Key industries such as general, heavy-duty, engineering, and agricultural machinery play a significant supporting role. The trend of balanced and coordinated development of regional economy and industries in the east and west is improving. The rapid development of emerging industries such as clean energy equipment, new energy vehicles, energy conservation and emission reduction, integration of industrialization and industrialization, green manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing, and service-oriented manufacturing has achieved significant results.
Promote the upgrading of industrial foundation
Reporter: Currently, what is the industrial foundation capability of China's machinery industry? How to further enhance the industrial foundation and support the high-quality development of the machinery industry?
王瑞祥：产业基础是产业形成和发展的基本支撑。近年来，在工业强基工程等国家专项的大力支持下，在全行业共同努力下，我国机械工业产业基础能力得以显著提高，攻克了一批制约行业发展的基础共性技术，突破了一批拥有自主知识产权的关键零部件，部分基础制造装备的研制取得重要进展。
总体来看，我国机械工业产业基础能力仍然不能满足产业快速发展的需求。突出表现在共性技术研发能力薄弱、关键基础材料对外依存度偏高、核心零部件依赖进口等多个环节，同时在标准、质量、检验检测等产业技术基础层面仍有很大提升空间。
今年5月，中国机械工业联合会发布《机械工业“十四五”发展纲要》，呼吁全行业将“统筹推进产业基础高级化”作为重要任务来抓，结合当前基础领域存在的主要问题，高度重视机械工业产业基础能力的提升，针对构成产业安全隐患的基础薄弱环节，以产业基础再造工程为抓手，以标准体系建设为支撑，实施质量提升行动，打造优势民族品牌。
从阶段性目标来看，力争到2025年，一批先进制造基础共性技术取得突破，70％的核心基础零部件、关键基础材料实现自主保障，先进基础工艺及装备发展滞后的局面得到较大改观，工业设计软件、仿真软件、自动控制系统等的国产化率明显提升，若干用于生产制造重大技术装备和高端装备产品的专用生产设备、专用生产线及检测系统取得突破。到2035年，行业整体摆脱基础支撑能力弱的局面，在核心基础零部件、关键基础材料、先进基础工艺及装备、基础工业软件等方面实现突破发展。
在实现路径方面，一是要进一步聚焦市场需求量大、质量性能差距大、对外依赖程度高的关键基础材料、核心基础零部件、先进基础工艺、产业技术基础等开展攻关，分类分步组织实施产业基础再造工程。二是要加强产业技术基础能力建设，以需求为牵引，在标准、计量、认证认可、检验检测、市场监管等方面加强一批产业技术基础公共服务平台的建设力度，全面提升机械工业产品及服务质量，构建引领行业可持续发展的产业基础设施体系，打造具有国际竞争力的民族品牌产品。三是要在有效市场和有为政府相结合的协同发展中，优化产业基础发展生态。
建设现代化产业链
记者：如何进一步增强产业链控制力，提高产业竞争力水平，提升在全球价值链中分工地位？
王瑞祥：打好产业链现代化攻坚战，是中央根据国际形势变化和我国产业发展内在要求提出的战略任务。机械工业作为国民经济发展的基础性产业，面对“百年未有之大变局”“推进产业基础高级化、产业链现代化”将成为贯穿我国机械工业“十四五”乃至未来更长时间的发展主线。
机械工业产品种类繁多，涉及国民经济行业分类中的10个大类、52个中类、168个小类，需要区别情况、分别施策。基于这些考虑，我们就要从“强链”“补链”“串链”多角度出发，联合从基础端到用户端各方面力量协同配合。
第一是“强链”，即锻长板。要不断采用先进实用性技术对既有优势产品进行迭代升级，使其保持世界领先地位。同时，凭借市场容量大、企业数量多、创新创业活跃等优势，在新能源装备、机器人、新能源汽车等新兴产业领域锻造若干新的产业链长板。
第二是“补链”，即补短板。要准确找到产业链关键环节上同国外先进水平的差距，特别是那些“卡脖子”的环节，集中优势资源进行突破，消除产业安全隐患。同时，“补短板”不能搞大水漫灌，要系统梳理出重点行业和关键产品的短板环节，分行业进行战略设计、研究政策措施，有针对性地制定实施方案。
第三是“串链”，即强化产业链协作。既要加强同行业外用户的协同配合，更要使行业内部各个细分领域、上下游环节调动起来，加强从零部件到整机再到用户部门的产业链协作，提高产业链与创新链、价值链的紧密度，才能把这些市场都利用好、维护好，真正形成畅通的国内大循环。
做好产业融合的“枢纽”
记者：“十四五”时期，我国机械工业仍处于重要战略机遇期。在构建现代化产业体系方面，机械工业如何进一步推动融合发展？
王瑞祥：随着新一轮科技革命和产业变革的蓬勃兴起，全球产业链、供应链与价值链深度交织，产业分工格局正在面临深刻调整和重塑。国际金融危机以后，机械工业发展面临高端回流和中低端分流的“双向挤压”。新冠肺炎疫情更加速了西方国家逆全球化思潮的涌现。“十四五”时期，推动我国机械工业向高质量发展转变，既面临机遇，也不乏挑战。
未来5年到10年乃至15年时间里，我国机械工业的核心是要解决高质量发展问题，关注产业协同发展、优化升级，构建现代化产业体系。加快推进产业融合发展，则是实现机械工业优化升级的关键。
这里所说的融合发展是指不同产业间或同一产业不同地域、不同领域间的相互渗透、相互交叉，动态发展的过程。机械工业作为工业体系的核心部门，在国民经济发展中起到承上启下的重要作用，向上连接能源、原材料等基础环节，向下服务于农业、工业乃至服务业各个领域，是推进产业融合发展的“枢纽”。为此，建议从以下几个方面加强推进力度。
一是加快推动跨行业的融合，推动机械工业与电子信息、生物技术、新能源、新材料等产业加强交流合作，主动用新技术改造提升机械工业，弥补多学科交叉领域的研发空白；大力发展智能化产品，推动生产过程和产品的智能化改造，促进模式创新和发展方式转变，打造更有竞争力的现代产业体系。
二是要加快推动地区间的协同融合，打破行政地域界限，结合不同地区的自然禀赋、产业基础和既有优势，实现资本、人才等各类资源的跨地域自由流动，推动产业在国内有序转移，优化产业区域布局，打造有核心竞争力的机械工业产业集群。
三是要顺应先进制造业和现代服务业融合发展趋势，以加快机械工业服务转型和增强服务型制造支撑能力为着力点，以产品全生命周期服务能力提升为重要抓手，创新发展模式，推进机械企业围绕核心技术与关键产品向服务领域拓展，不断推进生产组织形式、运营管理方式、商业模式等优化与创新，提高服务要素在投入产出中的比重，打造技术领先、基础扎实、创新活跃、开放合作的服务型制造生态体系。
Information source: Economic Daily
