Academician Chen Xiaohong Attends MIIT Online Seminar on Key Proposal upon Invitation
2021-08-09
On August 5, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) held a seminar on the handling of key proposals under the theme of “Promote Deep Integration of New Generation Information Technology and Manufacturing to Accelerate Digital Transformation of Manufacturing” to hear comments of NPC deputies and CPPCC members on the handling of 8 key proposals related to digital transformation of manufacturing. The seminar was presided over by Xu Xiaolan, Vice Minister of MIIT, via video link in Beijing. Chen Xiaohong, Party Secretary of HUTB and Academician, attended the seminar upon invitation and addressed the meeting as a representative of CPPCC members.
During this year’s two sessions, Academician Chen Xiaohong led the submission of the proposal of supporting Hunan in building national pilot zone for innovative application of artificial intelligence (AI), which was designated as a key proposal and to which MIIT, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) attaches high importance. During the middle ten days of June this year, Zhu Xiumei, Deputy Director General of DepartmentofScience and Technology of MIIT, paid a survey visit to the university, during which she conveyed MIIT’s reply to the key proposal put forward by Academician Chen and heard relevant constructive comments and suggestions.
In her speech, Academician Chen Xiaohong stated that Hunan boasts a solid foundation for building national pilot zone for innovative application of artificial intelligence, and the number of AI enterprises exceeds 4,000. She estimated that the revenue of AI industry will exceed RMB100 billion this year. She said that Hunan has state-level platforms such as Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Self-indepedent Innovation Demonstration Area, Xiangjiang New Area and Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intelligent Manufacturing Pilot Demonstration Area, as well as numerous famous colleges and universities. Moreover, she said, Hunan has national innovation platforms such as National Engineering Laboratory for Robot Visual Perception and Control Technology, and a number of benchmarking enterprises such as Sany Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., Zoomlion and Sunward, which form an industry chain enterprise cluster from underlying core technology to application. She also said that Hunan’s strengths in building national pilot zone for innovative application of artificial intelligence become increasingly prominent, as evidenced by such distinctive brands as intelligent manufacturing, intelligent transport and intelligent culture and creation, self-developed virtual track following control technology, the world’s first intelligent rail train operation line, the world’s first AI rice harvester, and leading application of AI technology. She emphasized that building national pilot zone for innovative application of artificial intelligence will tap into the great potentials of Hunan’s geographic location, as Hunan province will implement the “Three Highlands, Four New Missions” strategy, build an important highland of advanced manufacturing and a highland of science and technology innovation with core competitiveness, comprehensively deepen the development potentials of artificial intelligence, and speed up the construction of AI application pilot zone during the 14thFive-Year Plan period.
Academician Chen Xiaohong suggested that relevant government departments conduct overall planning, project layout and policy support for innovative application of artificial intelligence in industry directions and areas with sound foundation, establish a special program for new generation AI industry development, support Hunan in building a group of major innovation platforms in artificial intelligence, and give full play to Hunan province’s distinctive characteristics in the integration of artificial intelligence with engineering machinery, advanced track, culture and creation, so that Hunan will lead the industrial development of artificial intelligence in Central China and better implement the instructions of the fifth plenary session of the 19thCentral Committee of the Communist Party of China and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on supporting Hunan province in realizing the goal of “Three Highlands, Four New Missions”.
Vice Minister Xu Xiaolan spoke highly of the speech delivered by participating representatives, and stated that handling the proposals is MIIT’s lawful duty as state agency. She said that MIIT attaches high importance to the handling of proposals, and regards it as an important channel to deepen relationship with masses and gain a broad understanding of public opinion and as a touchstone to measure and test political judgment, political understanding and political execution. She requested relevant departments and bureaus to enhance the sense of responsibility and mission in handling proposals, further improve reply, and convert the deputies’ and members’ insights to problem-solving policy measures, with the view of promoting high-quality development of the industry and information cause.
In the concluding remarks, Vice Minister Xu Xiaolan stressed the significant importance of promoting digital transformation of manufacturing, and enjoined relevant departments to adhere to the guidance of Xin Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We should implement the decisions made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and advance the digital, networked and intelligent development of manufacturing with the integration of new generation information technology and manufacturing as path and the work of fostering digital transformation capabilities, accelerating digital transformation of enterprises, promoting digital transition of industry, and building an eco-system of digital transformation playing the key role.
