The process and current situation of Made in China going global
In the early days of the founding of New China, the industrial foundation was extremely weak, the equipment was outdated, the production capacity was low, the types of daily consumer goods that could be manufactured were scarce, and high-end industrial products such as automobiles and aircraft were even more incapable of being manufactured. But after 75 years of hard work, Made in China has achieved a leap from nothing to something, from weak to strong, and occupies an important position in the global manufacturing industry. Looking back on the development process, 1949-1957 was the stage of industrial production recovery, laying the foundation for subsequent development. From 1958 to 1978, despite twists and turns, the industrial economy continued to move forward in exploration. In 1978, the industrial added value reached 162.1 billion yuan, and reform and opening up became a key turning point. Since then, the scale of the industrial economy has expanded rapidly, with the industrial added value exceeding 1 trillion yuan in 1992, 10 trillion yuan in 2007, and exceeding 20 trillion yuan in 2012. From 2013 to 2023, the industrial added value will grow by an average annual rate of 5.7%, entering a stage of high-quality development.
In the field of raw materials, the output growth is amazing. In 2023, the output of raw coal is 4.71 billion tons, an increase of 146 times compared with 1949; the output of crude steel is 1.02 billion tons, an increase of 6449 times; the output of cement is 2.02 billion tons, an increase of 3064 times; the output of flat glass is 970 million weight boxes, an increase of 897 times; the output of fertilizer is 57.81 million tons, an increase of 1411 times. This shows that China has strong strength in the supply of basic raw materials.
The scale of manufacturing industry has jumped to the first place in the world. In 2023, the added value of manufacturing industry reached 32.5 trillion yuan, accounting for about 30% of the global proportion, and it has been ranked first in the world for 14 consecutive years. my country's manufacturing products are rich in variety. Among the 500 major industrial products, more than 40% of the output ranks first in the world. In the photovoltaic industry, my country's polysilicon, silicon wafers, battery cells, and modules account for more than 80% of the world's total output, wind power equipment accounts for more than 50% of the world's total output, and new energy vehicles account for more than 60% of the world's total output. These data fully reflect China's leading position in the global manufacturing industry.
However, China's manufacturing industry also faces challenges in going global. From an external perspective, trade protectionism is on the rise, and some countries have set up trade barriers to restrict the export of Chinese products; the global industrial chain and supply chain are accelerating reconstruction, and China's manufacturing industry is facing the pressure of high-end reflux and mid- and low-end diversion. From an internal perspective, the manufacturing industry is large but not strong, and it still relies on imports in core technologies and key components, and its independent innovation capabilities need to be improved; the industrial structure needs to be further optimized, and the proportion of high-end manufacturing is relatively low.
In order to meet the challenges, China's manufacturing industry needs to continue to exert its strength. On the one hand, it will strengthen independent innovation, increase R&D investment, overcome key core technologies, and enhance product added value and competitiveness; on the other hand, it will promote the upgrading of the industrial structure, cultivate and expand strategic emerging industries, and move towards high-end, intelligent, and green directions.
