Li Xiaobo’s Special Interview with China Daily: increasing manufacturer’s competitiveness requires innovation first

The Government Work Report pointed out: “Transforming and upgrading the real economy through innovation. We will do more to implement the strategy of innovation-driven development, upgrade the structure of the real economy, and improve its performance and competitiveness”, which is delivered at the 5^th Session of the 12^th National People’s Congress. “Innovation” becomes again one of the buzzwords for the “two sessions”.

 

 “Innovation, the primary leading force for development” ----“Two Session” Special Issue of China Daily”----published an interview of Li Xiaobo, NPC deputy, Chairman and CPC secretary of Taigang Group, by the reporters of Hu Jian and Zhou Yajun. He said at the interview: “turning China into a manufacturer of quality from the one of quantity requires innovation going first. Innovation is the only sharp weapon to win in the global competition.”

 

 “With the annual production capacity of more than 38 billion ballpoint pen in China, why China is not capable of making the small ballpoint pen tips?” That’s the question put forward by a special report of China Daily, with the title of “China makes own ballpoint pen tips: turning China into a strong manufacturing country from a big manufacturing country”. The query about ballpoint pen is exactly the query about China’s manufacture industry.

 

The report said that innovation goes with loneliness. After five years of tackling the key problems and countless failures, TISCO has developed successfully new material for ballpoint pen tips, which has been used in domestic pen producers and produced pens with reliable performance.  The event marks that China makes a key step towards independently-produced stainless steel for ballpoint pen tip, and has significance in breaking long monopoly overseas and promoting steel & iron industry efficiency. Besides ballpoint pen tip steel, TISCO’s products also have a good reputation worldwide in the field of bridge, aerospace, high speed rail, nuclear power. TISCO won the bidding of HK-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, the world’s largest cross-sea bridge, amid the competition with old famous European steel companies.

      

 “Turning China into a manufacturer of quality from the one of quantity requires innovation going first. Innovation is the only sharp weapon to win in the global competition”, Li said, “ Over years, TISCO has been insisting on all-involvement innovation, implementing topic contracting system of Scientific and Technological Key Project to stimulate innovative vitality and enthusiasm. Nowadays, TISCO’S new products have a more than 70% market contribution rate; more than 20 types of products rank top of domestic market share; more than 40 types replace imports successfully. In the context of serious overcapacity of iron and steel, TISCO gained a profit of RMB 1.29 billion in 2016. It is innovation that enables TISCO develop to today’s level. To do what some others cannot is bound to bring maximum value.”

     

With regard to the issue of how to promote all society-involved innovation, Li pointed out, innovation is a matter of whole society involved and needs top level design. Reform is also innovation. Government shall create a fair competitive environment, in which entrepreneurs can concentrate on innovation rather than asking for favorable policy.