Application of AI, sustainability key for Chinese manufacturers named as "lighthouses"

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability during production are key factors in evaluating manufacturers for the list of global "lighthouse" factories by the World Economic Forum (WEF), said an expert.

The WEF, along with consulting firm McKinsey, launched the Global Lighthouse Network in 2018 to identify manufacturers that are actively pushing toward the "fourth industrial revolution" by pursuing high efficiency, intelligence and green technologies.

A total of 22 manufacturing enterprises from 10 countries joined the network in the recently released list of additions, three of which are "sustainability lighthouses," all Chinese enterprises.

Through the application of technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as process innovations, these firms have reduced direct or indirect carbon emissions by over 20 percent, leading the world.

SANY Renewable Energy, a global provider of comprehensive wind power solutions, made the list after applying various digital tools in different links of production.

At its factory in Shaoshan City, central China's Hunan Province, a single wind turbine can be around 100 meters long. Some traditional companies may struggle to monitor the production and management process, but for the world's first lighthouse manufacturer in the wind power sector, it becomes easier with digital tools.

The factory can achieve 360-degree comprehensive monitor and conduct delicate management on the real-time operation and the production parameters at various links through a small tablet PC, including those on temperature, humidity, torque, grinding fineness.

"Sunny Renewable Energy became the first lighthouse in the wind power sector because of their use of innovative technologies like AI and automation. And they are able to really demonstrate in that blade factory the company's digital solutions, including AI-driven quality management," said Kiva Allgood, head of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains of the WEF.

The Global Lighthouse Network aims to inspire the global manufacturing industry by choosing manufacturers to make innovative technology transformation.

Generative AI, machine learning and other digital technologies were the key words in selecting this batch of lighthouses, according to the WEF, which estimates that the newly enlisted manufacturers have enhanced production efficiency by an average of 50 percent.

"They have to be deployed at scale within that factory. So those technologies include things like AI, IoT, robotics. And you have to have not just done a pilot. You have to have actually integrated that technology into the way that the factory works," said Allgood.

Of the 22 newly-selected lighthouse factories, 13, or nearly 60 percent are Chinese factories, marking a historic high. These factories are in sectors including new energy, pharmaceuticals and dairy products.

As of now, the total number of lighthouse factories worldwide has risen to 172, of which 74, or 43 percent of the total are from China.

"We're super excited that, again, more and more of Chinese factories are also picking up these practices, which underscores the country's ongoing efforts to drive both operational efficiency and environmental responsibility," said Allgood.

China's manufacturing sector is transforming quickly with greenness and intelligence, while generating more productivity. In 2023, the manufacturing sector contributed over 26 percent of its GDP and accounted for 30 percent of the world.

Application of AI, sustainability key for Chinese manufacturers named as "lighthouses"

A survey released by CGTN to global netizens shows that respondents strongly condemn the U.S.'s unilateral bullying of other countries under the pretext of "reciprocal tariffs," saying that this move may trigger countermeasures from other countries and eventually evolve into a "tariff world war," seriously impacting the world economy.

The U.S. claims that it has suffered losses in international trade and is raising tariffs on all trading partners under the pretext of "reciprocity," aiming to reduce the trade deficit. However, 81.03 percent of global respondents do not agree with this, believing that such measures will not achieve the expected results. During his first term in office, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on major trading partners. According to statistics from the American Action Forum, a think tank, Trump's protectionist policies during the first term cost U.S. consumers about 57 billion U.S. dollars annually. According to the survey, 81.94 percent of respondents believe that "reciprocal tariffs" cannot solve U.S.'s own problems but will only harm the interests of U.S. consumers and drag down the U.S. economic growth.

The competitiveness of products from different countries varies. Each country can set appropriate tariffs based on its own products to achieve "mutual benefit" in the international market. The "tariff farce" of the U.S. side is a selective disregard for the balance of interests reached through multilateral trade negotiations. Some 82.8 percent of the respondents point out that in the context of unequal economic development and economic strength of different countries, the U.S. insistence on full and complete reciprocity in tariffs is extremely irrational.

The majority of the U.S. tariffs this time are targeted at developing countries. Regarding this, 82.96 percent of the respondents condemn the U.S. for conducting "indiscriminate attacks" on other countries on the issue of tariffs, believing that this is a deprivation of the development rights of other countries, especially developing countries. According to the survey, 84.43 percent of the respondents believe that the U.S.'s imposition of "reciprocal tariffs" will exacerbate the problem of trade unfairness with its trading partners and traditional allies, seriously damaging the country's credibility.

As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the U.S. has unilaterally and subjectively introduced so-called "reciprocal tariffs" and insisted on implementing them. This is a typical act of unilateral bullying. In response, 79.47 percent of the respondents criticize the U.S. for seriously violating the rules of the WTO. In the survey, 79.58 percent of the respondents say that "reciprocal tariffs" have become a new tool for the U.S. to promote trade protectionism, which will further intensify international trade tensions and global economic fragmentation.

This survey was released on CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms. Within 24 hours, a total of 9,600 overseas netizens participated in the survey and expressed their views.

CGTN poll: US 'reciprocal tariffs' draw condemnation from world