The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently approved the 2024 implementation plan for pilot cities focused on advanced manufacturing technology upgrades.
 
Harbin, the capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, along with other 19 cities, has been selected as part of the first batch of pilot cities for the initiative.
 
The initiative is intended to accelerate the transformation of enterprises towards high-end, intelligent, and green manufacturing through policy guidance and financial support as well as promote the digital upgrade of industrial and supply chains, thereby building a modern industrial system. The central government will provide up to 300 million yuan in financial incentives to each pilot city for said upgrades.
 
According to the implementation plan, the Harbin bureau of industry and information technology will lead the efforts in advancing new technological upgrades.
 
The focus will be on updating industrial equipment and promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries.
 
Three key sectors–power equipment, aerospace manufacturing, and pharmaceutical and food manufacturing–will serve as pilot industries for these technological upgrades, which are expected to create highly competitive advanced manufacturing clusters.
 
Harbin boasts a strong foundation in industrial economic development, with prominent leading industries and rapid growth in industrial and technological investment.
 
The city, in collaboration with Harbin Electric Corporation, will implement three major actions to expedite the development of high-end, intelligent, and green manufacturing.
 
Over the next three years, Harbin's overall manufacturing technology level and core competitiveness are expected to see significant improvements.
 
Additionally, the initiative will further stimulate the vitality of the private economy, accelerate its digital transformation, and foster the development of new products and technologies with independent intellectual property rights, injecting new momentum into the economy.