Supporting the Quality Upgrade of Traditional Pillar Industries and Safeguarding the New-Quality Development of Strategic Emerging Industries——Speech by Zhu Rui, Deputy Director of the Light Industry Division of the CGI Department of the MIIT

Forty years of hard work and progress, forty years of great changes. Since its establishment in 1984, the China Sewing Machinery Association has closely aligned itself with national strategies, actively responded to industry policies, and focused on the development needs of the industry and the aspirations of the people for a better life. The association has fully played its role as a bridge and link, providing advice to government departments, accurately reflecting industry demands, and driving the industry to achieve a qualitative leap from catching up to surpassing.

As a vital component of China's light industry, the sewing machinery sector has been a pioneer of reform and opening up, a practitioner of new industrialization, and a driving force in the movement toward becoming a manufacturing powerhouse. It has played a unique and essential role in the modernization of the industrial system:

First, A “Small Industry” with Great Achievements: Currently, China’s sewing machinery industry has achieved a 100% conversion rate of international standards, with production of various industrial sewing machines accounting for over 85% of global output, 80% of global sales revenue, and 60% of international trade. The industry holds a significant position in the global market.

Second, A “Small Industry” with Hidden Power: Among the leading enterprises present today, some have become global trendsetters, others have grown into industry champions, and some have emerged as specialized "hidden champions" through continuous deep cultivation of professional sectors. These enterprises are the driving force behind industrial growth and stand as powerful symbols of China’s manufacturing, quality, and brand strength.

Third, A “Small Industry” Creating Big Impacts: The sewing machinery industry plays a critical role in strengthening traditional dominant industries and fostering new emerging industries. Its applications have penetrated numerous sectors, ranging from apparel, footwear, and bags to aerospace, military, transportation, healthcare, energy conservation, and new energy. The development of China's sewing machinery industry has not only bolstered the quality upgrade of traditional downstream industries but also supported and safeguarded the development of many strategic emerging industries.

Currently, China's sewing machinery industry is facing the dual challenges of "internal and external competition," intertwined contradictions in the cyclical structure, pressures from transformation and change, and disruptions from the international situation. The industry is advancing under pressure. However, since the beginning of this year, the entire industry has withstood these pressures, overcome difficulties, maintained resilience, and turned crises into opportunities, achieving a stabilization and recovery in production efficiency and improving economic conditions. In the first three quarters, 275 large-scale enterprises in the industry achieved a total revenue of 23.8 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 18.6%, which is 16.5 percentage points higher than the industrial average, making a positive contribution to the stable growth of the light industry.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has always placed high importance on the development of light industries, including sewing machinery. We have implemented guiding opinions on high-quality development in the light industry, a digital transformation action plan, and continued to promote the "Three Products" strategy, which aims to increase product variety, improve quality, and create brands. We support the establishment of new industrialization demonstration bases, digital "three products" demonstration cities, and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in key sectors. We are also enhancing smart manufacturing and green manufacturing benchmarks. These efforts will continue to support the growth, optimization, and strengthening of the sewing machinery and light industries.Looking ahead, the Department of Consumer Goods Industry will strengthen work in the following areas:

First, Focusing on Self-Reliance, Deepening the Innovation Integration of Technology and Industry: Sewing machinery is one of the key industries in light industry that has achieved the goal of becoming a manufacturing powerhouse. We must embrace the mindset that without progress, there will be regression. We need to enhance research on emerging trends in advanced manufacturing technology, digital technology, and precision manufacturing. We will also focus on the research and verification of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, large models, and intelligent chips, accelerating the construction of a secure and reliable technological system. We encourage enterprises and research institutions to form innovation consortiums, tackle industry weaknesses, and promote the conversion of technology achievements into industrial applications, creating resilient and secure innovation and industrial chains.

Second, Focusing on Brand and Quality, Deepening the Action of "Increasing Variety, Improving Quality, and Creating Brands": The strategy of "Increasing Variety, Improving Quality, and Creating Brands" is the main line for the high-quality development of the light industry. In recent years, we have accelerated the cultivation of "Increasing Variety, Improving Quality, and Creating Brands" demonstration cities, organized nationwide "Increasing Variety, Improving Quality, and Creating Brands" campaigns, and supported the development of regional, manufacturing, and consumer brands. We have also promoted the creation of a cluster of Chinese consumer brands and advanced quality products. We hope that the sewing machinery industry will actively participate in these initiatives, focusing on the development of emerging industries, expanding international markets, and enhancing brand clusters. We aim to speed up the upgrading and adjustment of product structures and significantly expand the industry’s growth space.

Third, Focusing on Digital Intelligence Empowerment, Accelerating Industrial Transformation: The MIIT will soon issue the "Implementation Plan for the Digital Transformation of the Light Industry," which will include comprehensive actions for digital transformation, with sewing machinery as one of the key sectors. We will deploy multiple initiatives focusing on cultivating digital transformation scenarios, developing solutions, and promoting digital upgrades. We aim to establish smart factories, intelligent supply chains, and new benchmarks for digital industrial parks. Additionally, we will gather typical examples of digital cloud platforms and customized solutions and establish standards for digital transformation applications. We encourage enterprises to leverage the advantages of China’s "digital production trial zones" and accelerate the application of artificial intelligence technologies in cooperation with other industries. This will lead to new breakthroughs in the digital transformation of the sewing machinery sector.