China has built almost 8,000 digital workshops and smart factories, with the value of the main sector of its Industrial Internet exceeding 1.2 trillion yuan (US$167 billion), according to a research report.

The Chinese Academy of Industrial Internet unveiled its annual report on industrial Internet innovation and development during the 2023 Global Industrial Internet Conference, held in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province in northeastern China.

Presently, 31 provincial-level regions across the nation have introduced development policies and action plans for the Industrial Internet. Research and development, as well as the industrialization of critical technologies such as 5G edge computing, industrial big data, and artificial general intelligence, are rapidly advancing, according to Lu Chuncong, the head of the academy.

Simultaneously, the data security framework of the Industrial Internet network platform has seen continuous enhancements. Over 100 colleges and universities have integrated relevant Industrial Internet courses into their curricula. Moreover, several training centers for relevant talent have been established, accompanied by the establishment of investment funds, added Lu.

The 2023 Global Industrial Internet Conference is jointly organised by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Chinese Association of Science and Technology and the Liaoning provincial government, as reported by
Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

A smart factory (or digital factory) is a manufacturing facility that uses advanced information technology, automation and networking solutions to improve production efficiency, control production processes and optimise resource utilisation. Smart factories use sensors, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics and other technologies to increase productivity, reduce costs, shorten production times and improve product quality. They also enable more flexible and adaptive manufacturing that can respond quickly to changes in market conditions.

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