As a new economic format, digital economy has been widely recognized and has appeared in the national top-level strategy design of many countries. From 5G, artificial intelligence to industrial software, intelligent manufacturing, from digital factories, black light factories to future factories, smart factories, countries have carried out top-level design and strategic layout of manufacturing digitalization, seeking to occupy the commanding heights in the new pattern of the world economy.

China’s economy has shifted from a stage of high-speed SS832
growth to a stage of high-quality development, and the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry is of great significance. What are the differences and similarities between the digital transformation of manufacturing industries in China and abroad, and what are their respective advantages? China News Agency “East and West Ask” recently interviewed Liu Junmei, deputy dean of the School of Economics of Fudan University.

The interview transcript is summarized as follows:

China News Service reporter: In the era of Industry 4.0 and intelligent manufacturing, how is SS832
China’s “long board” and “short board” compared with the traditional industrial power?

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Liu Junmei: In the past 30 years of development, China has rapidly narrowed the gap with traditional industrial powers, and the manufacturing industry and its digital transformation have formed unique characteristics and advantages, with a number of “longboards”. China’s manufacturing industry is more dynamic because of its large scale and most complete system. China’s 5G technology is at the world’s leading level, the 5G base stations that have been built account for about 70% of the world’s 5G network has covered all parts of the country, and the rapidly declining 5G module price will boost the promotion and application of 5G technology in the manufacturing industry. The pioneering application of new technologies, new business forms and new models is leading, and China has invested more in this area than other countries, which has generated a great impetus for the digital transformation SS832
of the manufacturing industry. In addition, the potential market for manufacturing digital transformation is large: at present, the proportion of digital investment of enterprises above the scale of China is 0.5%-1%, while the proportion of European and American enterprises is 3%-5%. If the digital investment of Chinese enterprises continues to increase to the level of European and American enterprises, combined with the output value of manufacturing industry, China’s potential market will be very huge.

Of course, there are still many “short boards” in the digital transformation of China’s manufacturing industry, including: the overall technical level of the industry is relatively backward, and the external dependence of core basic components, key basic materials and basic technology industries still needs to be reduced; SS832
Although China’s Internet penetration rate has reached 76.4 percent, the Internet penetration rate of the United States, Germany and Japan is around 90 percent. In terms of new digital infrastructure, in addition to 5G related technologies, China’s technological level in many other fields needs to be improved; At present, most of the world’s hyperscale data centers are located in the United States, and domestic software is not competitive. The penetration rate of industrial digitization is not high; In terms of supporting services for digital transformation, China needs a variety of digital solution providers to provide corresponding services.