Weifang to deepen industrial transformation with tech innovation

Weifang, East China's Shandong province, is setting its sights on becoming a front-runner in China's industrial transformation. At the country's two sessions, Liu Yun, deputy to the National People's Congress and Party secretary of Weifang, outlined the city's vision for driving industrial growth and advancing high-quality development.

This vision relies on collaboration among government, enterprises, and academia to integrate technology with industry. Liu emphasized the government's role in building platforms for efficient resource allocation, while enterprises are partnering with academic and research institutions to tackle technological challenges. This synergy strengthens traditional industries and fosters new quality productive forces for sustained growth.

Weifang has become a manufacturing powerhouse, excelling in high-end chemicals, power equipment, and food processing. Emerging sectors like next-generation information technology, the metaverse, magnetic technology, and new energy are also growing rapidly.

A technician works on the production line of a wind turbine manufacturing facility in Weifang. [Photo/VCG]

In 2024, Weifang's high-tech industrial output value accounted for 60.82 percent of its above-scale industrial output, with R&D investment increasing by 9.87 percent year-on-year. The city's maglev power equipment industry achieved an annual growth rate exceeding 40 percent, establishing itself as a national hub for the industrialization of maglev technology.

Shandong Tianrui Heavy Industry, a high-tech enterprise specializing in magnetic levitation technology, has overcome key challenges in maglev bearings and high-speed motors. Leveraging expertise from the Geotechnical and Structural Engineering Center of Shandong University, Tianrui's maglev blowers have improved energy efficiency by 30 percent, benefiting high-consumption industries like steel and chemicals. This innovation has increased demand, with annual output exceeding five billion yuan ($69 million).

In 2024, Weifang's technology contract transactions exceeded 35 billion yuan in value, with 78 percent of enterprises above designated size involved in industry-university-research collaborations. Moving forward, Weifang plans to accelerate the application of research into production lines, ensuring innovation becomes a productive force.

"By promoting the integration of technological and industrial innovation, consolidating Weifang's industrial strengths, and accelerating the development of emerging sectors while advancing our industrial economy, Weifang aim to achieve high-quality growth," Liu concluded. Through concerted efforts and a strategic vision, Weifang is poised to become a central player in China's journey toward high-quality, sustainable industrial growth.