Improved industrial structure to help realize green drive
Optimizing the industrial structure to assist with low-carbon and sustainable development is a key element of Beijing’s 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), according to the city government.
The city’s development plan lays out that the industrial network will feature two pillars — new-generation informational technology, and pharmaceuticals and healthcare — and four characteristic industries of integrated circuits; intelligent connected vehicles; intelligent manufacturing and equipment; and green energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, Li Tao, an official from the Beijing Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, said at a recent news conference.
The city government is also fostering four innovative service sectors — blockchain and advanced computing; scientific research and technological services; smart city-related industries; and information services — as well as a batch of pioneering industries, Li said.
The government expects local businesses to become more environmentally friendly and decrease their energy and water consumption.
To this end, local authorities are establishing a management mechanism and related standards to help the manufacturing sector move toward being more intelligent and eco-friendly.
The city’s policymakers are encouraging businesses to make breakthroughs in innovation in the hydrogen energy industrial chain and are promoting the industrialization of new energy technologies and equipment.
Greater efforts are being called for to build green, intelligent energy industry clusters, as well as for innovation in green technologies in such fields as new energy vehicles and new materials and expand new business formats including consultancy services for low-carbon industries and intelligent technological services.
According to the city’s development plan, the sectors of green energy, and energy conservation and environmental protection are projected to generate 550 billion yuan ($86.7 billion) in business revenue in 2025.
Beijing encourages companies to become model manufacturers in establishing green factories and supply chains, to launch eco-friendly products and to increase their international competitiveness, Li said.
Financial support for cutting-edge sectors will be increased to help companies and industrial parks reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The funds will help pilot businesses and parks in exploring ways of achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, which is also a commitment that China has made to the international community.
During the 2016-20 period, the city laid a sound industrial foundation for the 14th Five-Year Plan. It guided companies to improve energy use and efficiency, and develop cutting-edge industries with low carbon emissions.
The city’s cutting-edge sectors saw their added value reach 988.58 billion yuan and account for 27.4 percent of Beijing’s GDP in 2020, 2.3 percentage points higher than in 2018.
The added value of its high-tech and strategic emerging industries increased by 56.9 percent and 58.5 percent in 2020 from that in 2015.