China builds 504 smart factories
China has built a total of 504 highly efficient 'smart' factories and is accelerating the technological transformation of its traditional industries, said Yao Jun, Director of the Planning Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
MIIT data showed that since the start of the 14th Five‑Year Plan (2021–2025), the application rate of artificial intelligence technologies among manufacturing enterprises above the designated size has exceeded 30 per cent. The share of output from national 'green' factories rose from 9 per cent to 22 per cent of the total output value of manufacturing enterprises above the designated size. Comprehensive energy consumption per unit of products such as steel and cement clinker has generally reached advanced world levels.
According to Yao, as the 15th Five‑Year Plan (2026–2030) approaches, MIIT will organise and implement a programme to upgrade traditional industries to accelerate their qualitative and efficient development. "We will focus on technological transformation and deepen pilot city programmes for the adoption of new types of technological change in manufacturing. We will promote the intelligent, green and integrated development of traditional industries and advance the high‑quality development of the sector. We will also raise standards by launching a campaign to optimise and upgrade traditional industries through improved standards and the use of high‑quality standards to support high‑quality development across the industry," he said. Yao noted that quality improvement also features prominently on the ministry's agenda. The Ministry of Industry, Information Technology and Industry will fully implement a manufacturing quality improvement project, promote advanced quality management systems and strengthen quality infrastructure capabilities such as metrology, inspection and testing, and quality certification.
China has already established a multi‑tiered ecosystem of smart factories, which by 2025 will include more than 35,000 basic‑level factories, more than 8,200 advanced‑level factories, more than 500 top‑level factories and 15 flagship factories across the country.
As CCTV+ reports, the creation of 504 smart factories and plans for further technological transformation demonstrate China's systematic approach to industrial modernisation. In the coming years, the country will continue to introduce advanced technologies, improve energy efficiency and strengthen quality standards, allowing it not only to strengthen domestic production but also to maintain leadership in global supply chains. Smart factories are not just the future — they are already a reality reshaping Chinese industry today.
