Northeast China's revival: Jilin accelerated with digital industries
By Wei Diqi
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01:24

Authorities in northeast China's Jilin Province say they'll press forward with developing its digital industry and upgrading the industrial base. They made the statement on Tuesday in Beijing as they briefed the press on their local economic development and goals.

Jilin has produced China's first automobile, railway carriage, laser device, piece of synthetic rubber and the first bag of chemical fertilizer. Determined to overhaul its rust belt reputation, Jilin's key task is to bring its old manufacturing base into the digital era, with smart manufacturing at the heart of its ambition. Officials are fully aware that the key for progress is to enhance the integration of the internet, big data, artificial intelligence and manufacturing industry.

Bayin Chaolu, party chief of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee, said, "We have developed the car industry driven by intelligent manufacturing, to promote the digital transformation of the industry. And we have accelerated the development of the aerospace information industry and the intelligent railway industry."

While more investors swarm in, local enterprises have been stepping abroad. Jilin has strengthened economic and trade relations with more than 150 countries. And with the strong support from the national strategy concerning the development and opening-up of the Changchun-Jilin-Tumen region, Jilin Province has been actively engaged and become a northward channel for the Belt and Road Initiative, thus allowing the region as a whole to open up and attract more foreign capital.

"As a hub for cooperation among northeast Asian countries, we in Jilin will step up our ongoing trade contacts with Russia, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and also advance our cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries," the Party chief added.

Jilin's GDP in 2018 reached nearly 1.5 trillion yuan. The province has set ambitious goals for 2019 to further promote industrial upgrading and bring its industrial output growth up by one percentage point from last year.