"Digital Engine" Powers Up the Real Economy

In 2021, the digital economy reached 45.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 39.8% of the GDP; the digitalization of industries accounted for over 80% of the digital economy, serving as the main engine of digital economic development. At the recently held 2022 China Digital Economy Innovation Development Conference in Shantou, Guangdong, it was learned that while maintaining rapid growth in scale, China's digital economy is advancing towards a direction of improved structure and greater momentum. Relevant departments will further promote the innovative development of the digital industry, accelerate the construction of new digital infrastructure, and drive the deep integration of digital technology with the real economy, constantly enhancing and expanding the digital economy.

By establishing an intelligent research and development cloud platform, Chang'an Automobile and its overseas design centers have achieved 24/7 joint product development, reducing the product development cycle from 36 months to 24 months. Relying on an industrial internet, the Haier Shenyang Refrigerator Factory has built an interconnected factory, where one production line can support the flexible production of over 500 product models, increasing personalized production customization by 18%. Travelers can pre-book parking spaces at scenic spots through destination-based intelligent navigation... From production facilities to daily life, a host of digital applications have become a reality, reflecting the vibrant vitality of the digital economy.

In recent years, the rapid advancements in technologies such as the internet, big data, and cloud computing have accelerated their integration into various sectors of economic and social development. The pace, breadth, and depth of digital economic growth have reached unprecedented levels.

During the conference, the China Academy of Information and Communications released the "China Digital Economy Development Report (2022)," which shows that China's digital economy achieved new breakthroughs in 2021. The digital economy reached 45.5 trillion yuan in scale, with a nominal year-on-year growth of 16.2% and accounted for 39.8% of GDP. The digital economy's position in the national economy has become more solid, and its supporting role more prominent.

"From 2002 to 2011, China's digital economy growth rate was lower than the average GDP growth rate during the same period, with the digital economy merely a part of the national economy. Since 2012, the proportion of China's digital economy in GDP has continuously increased, and the average annual growth rate of the digital economy has significantly outpaced the average GDP growth rate during the same period, becoming a key force supporting high-quality economic development," said Wang Zhijin, the vice president of the China Information and Communications Research Institute.

The Thriving Digital Industry - "New technologies, products, and platforms such as big data, cloud computing, and blockchain are continuously emerging, injecting strong momentum into economic development." Xu Kemin, the General Economist of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, introduced that by the end of 2021, the revenue of large-scale electronic information manufacturing reached 14.1 trillion yuan, software business income reached 9.5 trillion yuan, and telecommunication business income was approximately 1.5 trillion yuan, which were 1.7, 3.8, and 1.4 times respectively compared to 2012.

Leveraging Digital Technology to Empower the Real Economy and Enhance Efficiency—A preliminary industrial internet platform system at industry and enterprise levels has been initially constructed, with over 150 industrial internet platforms with national influence, connecting more than 78 million industrial equipment units. Collaborative R&D design, unmanned intelligent patrol, digital factories, intelligent mines, and other new scenarios, models, and business forms are flourishing.

The report shows that in 2021, China's industrial digitalization scale reached 37.2 trillion yuan, a nominal year-on-year growth of 17.2%, accounting for 32.5% of the GDP. Wang Zhiqin believes that the digital economy is accelerating towards a more optimized structure, with the industrial digitalization further demonstrating its role as the main engine of digital economic development.

"Data shows that the integration of China's digital economy and real economy is gradually becoming more apparent," said Zhang Li, President of the China Institute of Information Industry Development. Overall, while maintaining rapid growth in scale, China's digital economy is advancing towards a stronger foundation, a more optimized structure, and more robust momentum.

Industry experts state that the digital economy is a crucial support for smooth economic circulation, energizing development momentum, and enhancing economic resilience. Looking ahead, it is necessary to further unleash the potential of the digital economy and strengthen its new driving force.

Reporters have learned that multiple departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, are accelerating the implementation of a package of measures to enhance technological breakthroughs, promote the innovative development of the digital industry, and drive the integration of the digital economy with the real economy, catering to application demands.

Focusing on key areas such as key software, cultivating a group of ecologically dominant enterprises with international competitiveness, and high-quality construction of China's software city and China's software park, creating a series of digital industrial clusters... The digital industry is the foundation for driving digital transformation. Multiple measures will further intensify efforts to accelerate the innovative development of the digital industry.