China's industrial production maintained a stable growth trend, with market demand continuously recovering, thanks to equipment manufacturing emerging as the primary driver of profits from January to May this year, according to the latest data published by the National Bureau of Statistics.
As the manufacturing industry transitions towards high-end, intelligent, and green sectors, new drivers and advantages have accelerated this transformation. Equipment manufacturing injected vitality into enterprise profits in the initial months of this year, with profits in this sector increasing by 11.5 percent year-on-year. This marks an 8.1 percent rise compared to enterprises of designated size, making it the largest contributor to profit growth among these enterprises.
"The stable industrial production; ongoing recovery in market demand; improved production-sales connection; advancement in high-end, intelligent, and green manufacturing; and enhanced competitiveness in high-end production; along with optimized export structures, sustain a positive recovery trend in the industrial economy. These factors promote industrial economy's transition and upgrade, providing robust support for the continuous efficiency and benefit recovery of enterprises," said Chen Xi, an associate researcher at the Academy of Macroeconomic Research of the National Development and Reform Commission.
Equipment manufacturing drives profit growth of industrial enterprises in Jan-May
Central China's Henan Province has striven over the past more than ten years to build itself into a hinterland hub of reform and opening up through vigorous development of aviation logistics and cross-border trade, and with the adoption of a series of reform measures meant to improve the business environment.
In the provincial capital city of Zhengzhou, the Xinzheng International Airport has become the first in China to introduce an automated guided vehicle (AGV) smart application project. Acting on commands issued by the backstage, this groundbreaking project features 40 unmanned forklifts that effortlessly distribute goods to 1,284 standardized storage locations.
Within the sprawling 70,000-square-meter cargo terminal, a sophisticated intelligent system acts as the brain, automatically calculating the remaining storage capacity and providing early warnings for any potential irregularities in every corner. Beyond enhanced operational efficiency, the implementation of this intelligent system has also resulted in faster and more efficient outbound cargo shipments.
Notably, in May 2020, the Xinzheng International Airport became the sole pilot airport designated to operate air cargo e-freight in China on a trial basis.
The air cargo e-freight platform has revolutionized the industry by digitizing various air cargo documents and customs declarations. This seamless integration has created a comprehensive data chain, connecting foreign trade enterprises, freight forwarders, customs authorities and airlines within the aviation logistics operation chain.
Previously, the process of cargo security declarations used to involve cumbersome paperwork. But now, a single unified platform streamlines the procedure, eliminating the need for redundant submissions and multiple physical visits, effectively easing long-standing bottlenecks.
The adoption of such bold reform measures has significantly improved the business environment. Over 260 companies have already joined the e-freight platform, saving more than 1.5 million paper documents annually and increasing data transmission efficiency by over 20 percent.
As a result, the Xinzheng International Airport air cargo e-freight project was selected into the seventh batch of successful reform projects in China's national-level free trade zones, with plans for replication and nationwide promotion.
With over a decade of development, the Xinzheng International Airport has established more than 40 all-cargo routes, creating an extensive air cargo network that spans Europe, America and Asia, covering major global economic hubs.
Central China province strives to turn itself into hub of reform, opening up
