During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Changchun's industrial economy has achieved leapfrog development. On November 27, at the second session of the "Striving for High-Quality Development in Changchun during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period" themed press conferences organized by the Information Office of Changchun Municipal People's Government, the Changchun Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology released the city's fruitful industrial achievements during this period.

As a significant old industrial base in China, Changchun covers 37 of the 41 major industrial categories defined by the United Nations, showcasing a solid industrial foundation and comprehensive structure. Over the past five years, the city has earnestly implemented the decisions and arrangements for new industrialization, focused on building "one center and five highlands", and made every effort to construct a modern industrial system characterized by "transformation of three traditional robust industries, advancement of four strategic emerging industries, and deployment of seven future industries". By overcoming difficulties with full determination, the contribution rate of industry to the city's economic growth has consistently remained above one-third. With the stability of a "cornerstone" and the strong momentum of a "booster", Changchun is writing a new chapter in the transformation and upgrading of Northeast China's old industrial base.

Traditional Industries Accelerate Transformation, Laying a More Solid Foundation for High-Quality Development

The auto industry, as the "leader" of Changchun's industrial economy, is aligning with the "new four modernizations" by achieving improvements in both scale and efficiency and continuously enhancing its core competitiveness.

In September 2022, the "Changchun Automobile Cluster" successfully emerged as a national advanced manufacturing cluster, the largest in scale and most influential in Northeast China. Furthermore, Changchun has secured national pilot projects for the battery-swapping model for new energy vehicles, full electrification in the public sector, and the "vehicle-road-cloud integration" of intelligent connected vehicles. It is now the only city in China to possess all four major national platforms for the high-quality development of the auto industry.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the city has vigorously implemented the three-year action plan for advancing the automobile industry cluster, fully supported FAW Group's "531" strategy, and promoted the rapid transformation of traditional fuel vehicles toward new energy and intelligent connected vehicles. Over the past five years, the Hongqi Fanrong Plant, the Jiefang J7 Intelligent Plant, and the Audi FAW New Energy Vehicle Plant have been completed, while major projects like the upgrade of the Hongqi Ulsan Plant and the capacity expansion of the Fengyue Plant have progressed steadily. The city has seen its vehicle production capacity increase by more than 500,000 units. This year, Hongqi is expected to reach a new high in both production and sales, sustaining an average annual growth rate of close to 20% and setting an example for the development of independent luxury brands. In addition, the Automobile Economic and Technological Development Zone has driven the development of auto parts by extending and strengthening the vehicle industry chain. Major projects such as the BYD power battery and CRRC electric drive systems have been completed and put into operation, forming the basic layout of new energy vehicles and the "three electric systems". The local supporting rate of auto parts is expected to exceed 60% this year.

The high-end equipment manufacturing industry has shown remarkable highlights. CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd., known as a "shining name card" of China's equipment manufacturing industry, has developed and produced a series of major national products in recent years. These include the world's first hydrogen-powered urban train, the world's first intelligent high-speed train (the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway) at a speed of 350 km/h, the new-generation medium-low-speed maglev train for Qingyuan, and the cross-border interconnected high-speed EMU at a speed of 400 km/h. The Fuxing bullet train project, in which it participated in the development, won the Special Prize of the National Scientific and Technological Progress Award. Its products have been exported to more than 20 countries and regions, including the United States, Australia, and Brazil. This year, CRRC Changchun's output value is expected to hit a five-year high.

Emerging Industries Rise and Enter the "Fast Lane", Continuously Enhancing Momentum for High-Quality Development

The optoelectronic information industry has emerged as a new growth pole for Changchun. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the city has introduced a three-year action plan and the supporting 20 policies for the optoelectronic information industry, established the Changchun Optoelectronic Information Industry Sci-Tech Innovation Alliance, Enterprise Alliance, and Fund Alliance, and formed an expert committee composed of 31 academicians. It has accelerated the construction of the "4+1" core zones, focusing on building six major industrial clusters for semiconductors, high-end manufacturing, optoelectronic materials, displays, and so on. The Changchun International Optoelectronic Expo, the only comprehensive professional exhibition in the optoelectronic information field in Northeast China, has been held twice, with signed key projects totaling over RMB 50 billion.

A wave of enterprise innovation achievements has emerged. Four companies, including Yuheng Optics, were recognized as national "single champion" demonstration enterprises in manufacturing. The "Jilin-1" constellation now has 141 satellites in orbit. The small-pitch LED integrated "three-in-one" products of Cedar Electronics and the gene sequencers of GeOptics Sequencing Equipment Co., Ltd. lead in technology both domestically and internationally... Innovation momentum is surging, and industrial vitality is bursting forth. Driven by a series of measures, the total output value of Changchun's optoelectronic information industry is expected to exceed RMB 100 billion this year.

The biomedicine and life health industries continue to unleash innovation vitality. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the city has focused on building the Changchun Yongchun Biomedical City, securing 45 key projects, with the aim of developing it into a center for biomedical innovation in Northeast China.

Three alliances in sci-tech innovation, investment and financing, and medicine-industry collaboration were established, and the Changchun International Medicine & Health Industry Expo was successfully held. GenSci became the first pharmaceutical enterprise in Jilin Province with revenue exceeding RMB 10 billion, the influenza vaccine (split virion) developed by the Changchun Institute of Biological Products passed WHO prequalification, and BCHT Biotechnology obtained approval for China's first shingles vaccine. Over the past five years, the output value of the city's biomedicine industry has grown by over 60%.

Future Industries Are Positioned to Seize "New Tracks", Accelerating the Release of High-Quality Development Potential

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Changchun has planned future industries with a forward-looking vision and seized new tracks for development. The aerospace and application industries have achieved leapfrog development, with the establishment of the Aerospace (Low-Altitude) Economic Development Industry Alliance and the successful hosting of three air shows. The Chinese Air Force Museum and Changchun Aviation Expo Park are under accelerated construction, significantly enhancing industrial scale and influence.

The embodied intelligence industry has gained an early foothold, with the establishment of the Bionic Robot Manufacturing Innovation Center and Jiyi Embodied Intelligence Robot Co., Ltd. The industrial parks for intelligent robots and sensors are under accelerated construction, facilitating the formation of an innovation matrix deeply integrating industries, universities, research institutes, and users.

New materials, hydrogen energy, and new energy storage industries have been strategically deployed in advance. Products such as OLED thin-film encapsulation materials and PEEK high-performance polymers have reached internationally leading levels, and a preliminary full chain for hydrogen energy encompassing "production, storage, transportation, and application" has been established.

Standing at a new starting point for development, Changchun will vigorously advance new industrialization, strengthen the deep integration of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation, accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, and strive to build a modern industrial system characterized by "transformation of three traditional robust industries, advancement of four strategic emerging industries, and deployment of seven future industries". It aims to inject stronger momentum into Changchun's pursuit of the Chinese path to modernization through high-quality industrial development.

Source: Changchun Government Affairs  Editor: Liu Jiadi