With over 20,000 technicians and industrial workers in optoelectronics, eight national key laboratories including the State Key Laboratory of Special Luminescence Science and Technology, and massive remote sensing data from the "Jilin-1" satellites supporting agriculture, forestry, environmental protection, and cultural tourism, Changchun's electronic information manufacturing industry achieved an output of 11.086 billion yuan in the first half of this year, up 6.5% year-on-year. The city's total output of the optoelectronic information industry in 2024 has exceeded 90 billion yuan, growing by 7.1%, and is expected to surpass 100 billion yuan this year. Seizing industrial development opportunities, Changchun, an old industrial base in Northeast China, is building its dreams with "light," fostering an optoelectronic information industry cluster to drive high-quality development.

A Piece of Glass — Precision Machining Gives Satellites Their "Corneas"

In the production workshop of Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., an orange robot is at work. On the operation table, a dark mirror blank, roughly the size of an A3 sheet, is being ground into shape. This reflective mirror will precisely capture the Earth's spectral information gathered by satellites into the camera, which then generates images.

High-definition remote sensing images rely on high-precision mirror processing technology and equipment. Achieving nanometer-level precision is a key R&D focus for the team. To tackle the problems associated with imported equipment, such as unreliable processes, high procurement costs, and long maintenance cycles, the company's core optical processing team started developing domestically-made intelligent machining robots. After thousands of debugging trials, the intelligent machining robots were finally put into operation, reducing the primary mirror processing time from approximately six months to just one and a half months and cutting processing costs by 20%.

The localization rate of components and parts for the "Jilin-1" satellites, developed by Chang Guang Satellite, has reached 100%. "Jilin-1" has become China's largest commercial remote sensing satellite constellation and the world's largest sub-meter commercial remote sensing satellite constellation.

More than 70 years ago, China's first batch of optical glass was successfully produced in Changchun. How can this proud legacy and abundant resources be transformed into momentum for industrial growth? Changchun has introduced a number of policy measures, including Several Measures to Support the High-Quality Development of the Optoelectronic Information Industry and 18 Measures to Support the Accelerated Growth of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Funded by institutions like the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), the Jilin Optoelectronic Industry Incubator Co., Ltd. has so far incubated over 100 enterprises. Furthermore, several companies in the optoelectronics field, including Chang Guang Satellite, have spun off from CIOMP and grown into major players.

"The optoelectronic information industry is one of Changchun's strategic emerging industries with the strongest scientific research capacity, the most abundant innovation achievements, and the greatest development potential," said Fang Shuhua, Director of the Changchun Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology. The municipal government allocates more than 600 million yuan annually to support the development of the industry.

A Sensor — Promoting Innovation and R&D through Industry-University-Research Cooperation

In the testing room of Changchun Yuheng Optics Co., Ltd., testers in dustproof suits carefully examine the samples of displacement sensors in their hands. Though small in size, displacement sensors serve as the "eyes" for major equipment such as CNC machine tools, directly impacting machining precision.

In recent years, Yuheng Optics has undertaken numerous major research and industrialization projects entrusted by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The company has developed a range of products, including grating rulers, achieving technological self-sufficiency and controllability across multiple fields.

Building on universities and research institutions such as Jilin University, Changchun University of Science and Technology, and CIOMP, Changchun keeps attracting top-notch R&D talent in optoelectronics from across the country. To date, the city boasts 10 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 150 doctoral supervisors, and over 3,000 senior professionals holding the rank of associate professor or above in this field. It holds internationally and domestically leading key core technologies in 12 cutting-edge and high-tech fields, including high-performance sensors.

 Additionally, Changchun has established the Strategic Cooperation Committee for the Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements and formed the "One Committee, Three Alliances" structure (comprising the Sci-Tech Innovation Alliance, Enterprise Alliance, Fund Alliance, and an Expert Committee) for the optoelectronic information industry. These platforms facilitate information sharing, promote industry-university-research collaboration, and continuously strengthen the institutional framework supporting industrial development.

A Plan — Focusing on Frontiers and Expanding Industrial Space

In Changchun New Area, a discussion session is underway. Staff from companies like Cedar Electronics and Rongde Optics gather, exchanging views on industrial development, market trends, and R&D progress.

Changchun New Area is home to more than 360 optoelectronic information enterprises, and such discussions are frequent. "More exchanges mean more cooperation opportunities and fresh ideas for next-generation product planning."

In recent years, Changchun has accelerated the extension of the optoelectronic information industry along upstream and downstream value chains, striving for breakthroughs in cross-disciplinary and niche sectors. In 2023, the city released the Three-Year Action Plan for Cultivating the Optoelectronic Information Industry in Changchun, focusing on five key areas—"chip, laser, satellite, vehicle, and network". The plan promotes the high-end development of integrated circuits; scaled development of lasers, new displays, and lighting; industrialization of satellite applications; intelligent development of automotive electronics; and integrated development of the industrial Internet and software information services.

According to the plan, by the end of 2025, Changchun aims to achieve two goals—a total output value exceeding 100 billion yuan and more than 1,000 enterprises in the optoelectronic information industry. Changchun is actively planning specialized and distinctive industrial zones for the optoelectronic information sector, accelerating the development of the "4+1" core industrial areas: Changchun New Area, Economic Development Zone, Automobile Economic Development Zone, Jingyue High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, and the China-ROK (Changchun) International Cooperation Demonstration Zone.

Zhang Enhui, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Changchun Municipal Committee, stated, "Focusing on key industrial fields like new energy intelligent vehicles and optoelectronic information, we support enterprises in achieving breakthroughs in core technologies either independently or through industry-university-research collaboration. We must achieve breakthroughs in a number of 'bottleneck' technologies constraining industrial development in key areas and critical links, and use institutional innovation to remove systemic barriers." The city strives to surpass 1,500 optoelectronic information enterprises and a comprehensive output  of 160 billion yuan by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

Source: People's Daily  Editor: Liu Jiadi