According to the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, innovation is the first driving force for development and the strategic support for building a modern economic system. Focusing on building an innovative country, the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China made systematic arrangements, which not only re-emphasized the primacy of the concept of innovation and development, but also defined the specific goals of building a "five powerful countries" of science and technology, quality, space, network and transportation, and building a digital China and a smart society. It also emphasized six aspects in task deployment: more emphasis on basic research, strategic support, strategic scientific and technological strength, enterprise subject and achievement transformation, and innovation.
How to implement the innovation-driven development strategy with greater efforts and install the innovation engine for building a strong country? Our reporter interviewed Miao Wei, Party Secretary and Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Manufacturing industry is the main battlefield of technological innovation
Reporter: According to the report of the 19th National Congress, innovation is the first driving force for development and the strategic support for building a modern economic system. How to understand this important conclusion? What specific requirements does it put forward for building a strong country?
Miao Wei: Manufacturing is the main body of the real economy, the main battlefield of technological innovation and an important field of supply-side structural reform. The new industrial revolution and China’s strategy of manufacturing a strong country have formed a historic intersection. We must grasp the trend of change and time window, do a good job in the deep integration of informationization and industrialization, and strive to seize the commanding heights of the new round of industrial competition.
China has surpassed the United States to become the world’s largest manufacturing country in 2010. Since the 18th National Congress, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has issued a series of policies and measures to build a manufacturing power and a network power, and achieved remarkable results. However, compared with the level of major industrialized countries and the goal of building a manufacturing power, there is still a big gap in technological innovation, quality brand and environmental friendliness in most fields, and the structural imbalance between supply and demand has become increasingly prominent.
Innovation is the source of national rejuvenation and the foundation of prosperity. The report of the 19th National Congress proposed to strengthen the construction of the national innovation system. To implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we should implement the innovation-driven development strategy with greater efforts, improve the inclusive support policies in accordance with the systematic innovation chain thought, and accelerate the establishment of a technological innovation system with enterprises as the main body, demand as the guide and deep integration of Industry-University-Research. It is necessary to implement the national manufacturing innovation center construction project, focus on strategic, leading and major basic common needs, and build a number of high-level manufacturing innovation centers. It is necessary to speed up the application of basic research, expand the implementation of major national science and technology projects, increase the efforts to tackle key core technologies and transform achievements, and cultivate a number of innovative leading enterprises. It is necessary to implement the industrial strong foundation project, build a systematic and long-term promotion mechanism, and break through the basic bottleneck of the development of key areas.
Six measures to promote the industrialization of innovation achievements
Reporter: How to increase support and break the barrier of applying scientific and technological innovation to practice? How to realize seamless connection between science and technology and industry, and make Industry-University-Research deeply integrated?
Miao Wei: Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has actively promoted scientific and technological innovation and industrialization of scientific and technological achievements in the manufacturing sector through measures such as building a manufacturing innovation center, conducting pilot demonstrations, consolidating the industrial technology foundation, implementing major projects, promoting integration of defense and civilian technologies, and strengthening cooperation with Industry-University-Research. The innovation system has been comprehensively improved and the level of industrialization has been significantly enhanced.
The first is to build a manufacturing innovation center and build a collaborative innovation carrier closely integrated with Industry-University-Research. In accordance with the requirements of "Made in China 2025", aiming at the lack of industrial common technology supply, the construction project of manufacturing innovation center was implemented, and the construction of provincial-level manufacturing innovation centers was encouraged, forming a relatively perfect top-level design and selection standard. Since the implementation of the project, five national manufacturing innovation centers have been approved, including power battery, additive manufacturing, information optoelectronics, printing and flexible display, and robots.
The second is to carry out pilot demonstrations to promote the transformation and application of new industrial technologies. Vigorously promote the innovative use of major technical equipment, jointly with the Ministry of Finance and the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, issue the "Guiding Catalogue for the Promotion and Application of the First Set of Major Technical Equipment", and accelerate the demonstration and application of the first set of new products and equipment with independent intellectual property rights. Issue the Catalogue of Major Environmental Protection Technologies and Equipment encouraged by the State, popularize new technologies, new products and new equipment, and improve the supply capacity and level of environmental protection technologies and equipment.
The third is to consolidate the industrial technology foundation and support and serve the engineering of scientific and technological innovation achievements. Focusing on four aspects: core basic parts, advanced basic technology, key basic materials and industrial technology foundation, we will implement industrial strong foundation projects and focus on solving key problems in industrial basic fields. At present, 19 industrial technology basic public service platforms and 200 industrial product quality control and technology evaluation laboratories have been built to help the engineering of scientific and technological innovation achievements.
The fourth is to implement major projects to promote the combination of science and technology and industrial development. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology takes the lead in organizing and implementing major projects such as nuclear high-base, new-generation broadband wireless mobile communication and high-end CNC machine tools, focusing on key areas such as new-generation information technology and high-end equipment to carry out research and development and industrialization. Pay attention to encourage enterprises to undertake industrialization projects, build innovation chain around the industrial chain, promote cooperation between users and R&D units, and strengthen the connection with industry planning and policies.
Fifth, promote the integration and transformation of military and civilian technologies, and serve the national development strategy of integration of defense and civilian technologies. A national integration of defense and civilian technologies public service platform was established to coordinate with the State Council and relevant military departments, key military and civilian units, and promote information exchange and sharing in integration of defense and civilian technologies. Every year, the catalogue of "military conversion to civilian" and the catalogue of "people joining the army" are compiled and published, which broadens the channels of military-civilian information and significantly improves the level of military-civilian scientific and technological collaborative innovation.
Sixth, strengthen cooperation between Industry-University-Research and promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements into real productive forces. Explore the establishment of a market-oriented innovation transformation model, and use the results to convert shares, license others to use, and transform themselves to realize the docking transformation of scientific and technological achievements and industries. For example, the "Beijing Electric Vehicle Collaborative Innovation Center" jointly built by Beijing Institute of Technology and BAIC Group has the coordinated development ability of discipline development, scientific research and personnel training, and the Beiqi electric vehicle jointly developed has been put on the market for sale.
Let SMEs enhance their sense of gain from innovation policies.
Reporter: The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China emphasized "strengthening the support for the innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises and promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements". What are the difficulties in the innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises?
Miao Wei: The innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises includes innovation in technology, products, management model and business model. At present, there are external innovation environment and internal innovation ability that affect the innovation development of small and medium-sized enterprises. From the external environment, including business environment, fiscal and taxation policies, financing environment, service system, etc. From the internal point of view of small and medium-sized enterprises, it includes the scientific research and development of enterprises, the application of new generation information technology, the creation, application, protection and management of intellectual property rights, etc. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attached great importance to the innovation and development of small and medium-sized enterprises, and constantly optimized their innovation and development environment. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology conscientiously implements the decision-making arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, innovates various work measures, and helps small and medium-sized enterprises to effectively enhance the endogenous motivation for innovation and development.
Reporter: How can SMEs’ innovation, financial support and policy support be put in place?
Miao Wei: We should release the effectiveness of the policy as soon as possible by promoting the implementation of the policy, so that the majority of small and medium-sized enterprises can truly enhance their sense of gain from the policy. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will take the implementation of the newly revised SME Promotion Law as an opportunity, actively play the role of the coordination mechanism of the Office of the Leading Group for Promoting the Development of SMEs in the State Council, pay close attention to the implementation of policies in accordance with the general tone of striving for progress while maintaining stability, and jointly promote the innovative development of SMEs.
First, do a good job in publicizing and implementing the SME Promotion Law. The SME Promotion Law revised and passed on September 1, 2017 has been promulgated and will be formally implemented in 2018. Compared with the original law, the new law has great changes and many bright spots. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will strengthen communication and coordination with relevant departments, do a good job in publicizing and implementing the SME Promotion Law, and promote the implementation of effective policies and measures stipulated by law.
Second, give full play to the role of the coordination mechanism of the Office of the Leading Group for Promoting the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the State Council. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will continue to play a leading role, strengthen overall coordination and services, work with member units to strengthen research on major issues, put forward policy suggestions, do a good job in policy implementation, and constantly optimize the development environment for SMEs.
The third is to establish an online service platform for SME policies. At present, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has established the "internet plus" SME policy service platform. It will further promote the establishment of a comprehensive service platform for SME policies aimed at bringing together SME promotion policies issued by various state departments and provinces, cities and counties, and achieving one-stop policy services across departments and regions, and realizing policy resource sharing and private network inquiry.
The fourth is to continuously optimize the efficiency of the use of special funds for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the provisions of the SME Promotion Law, the central government should set up SME subjects in the budget at the corresponding level and arrange special funds for the development of SMEs. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will work with the Ministry of Finance to optimize the focus, direction and scope of special funds to support the construction of public service system and financing service system for small and medium-sized enterprises, and guide social resources to provide market information, financing guarantee, talent training, market development and other public services for small and medium-sized enterprises, so as to achieve the effect of "four to two" and "giving charcoal in the snow".
Fifth, give full play to the role of the National SME Development Fund. In 2015, the State Council approved the establishment of a national SME development fund with a total scale of 60 billion yuan, of which the central government contributed 15 billion yuan. So far, four direct investment sub-funds have been established. In the next step, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with relevant departments, will give full play to the role of the central financial funds to attract more social capital and support all kinds of small and medium-sized enterprises to carry out innovation in new models, new formats and new products while ensuring that the funds operate in accordance with market rules.
The sixth is to fully promote the entrepreneurial innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises. We will continue to support the construction of entrepreneurial innovation bases for small and micro enterprises around the country, and cultivate a number of national entrepreneurial innovation demonstration bases for small and micro enterprises with strong demonstration and driving effects. Promote the construction of Maker China platform and hold Maker China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Further measures will be taken to promote the mutual penetration of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries in the "double innovation", and the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, large, medium and small enterprises will be integrated and developed, so that more small and micro enterprises can grow and develop in the market competition.