At the first "Ministers' Passage" of the Two Sessions 2026, the heads of ministries showcased an impressive "hardcore" report card. Yin Hejun, Minister of Science and Technology, mentioned that China's ranking in the Global Innovation Index has jumped to 10th place globally. Notably, in the ranking of the world's top 100 science and technology innovation clusters, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster leaped to first place globally, and breakthroughs have also been achieved in chip research.
Li Lecheng, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, introduced that currently, China's position as the world's leading manufacturing power has been further consolidated, while artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a strong incremental driver for high-quality economic development.
Yin first showcased a series of technological achievements: humanoid robots demonstrated extraordinary capabilities, performing on CMG Spring Festival Gala–from last year's yangko dance and handkerchief twirling to this year's somersaults and comedy sketches, showcasing a wide array of skills; open-source large models are leading globally, with breakthroughs in chip research; the innovative drug sector is developing rapidly, with 76 innovative drugs approved for market in China last year, and the total value of out-licensing deals exceeding 130 billion US dollars.
"China's scientific and technological strength has reached a new level, with its innovation index ranking climbing to 10th globally. In 2025, total societal R&D investment exceeded 3.92 trillion yuan, with an intensity of 2.8%. Among this, basic research investment approached 2.8 trillion yuan, accounting for 7.08% of the total R&D spending – exceeding 7% for the first time, a historic high."
Regarding the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, Yin explained that the central government places high importance on this and has made a series of strategic deployments, with very noticeable results. Currently, the added value of China's "three new" (new industries, new formats, new business models) economy accounts for over 18% of GDP. Among the world's top 2,000 companies in industrial R&D investment, 525 are from the Chinese mainland, accounting for 26.3%. In the ranking of the world's top 100 science and technology innovation clusters, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster leaped to first place globally, Beijing ranked 4th, and the Shanghai-Suzhou cluster ranked 6th.
Li also presented achievements in the industrial and information technology sectors. He stated that in 2025, China's industrial added value reached 41.7 trillion yuan, contributing 35% to economic growth, continuously solidifying its position as the world's premier manufacturing nation.
Regarding the hot topic of AI, Li noted that this "key variable" is becoming a strong incremental driver for high-quality economic development. In 2025, the scale of China's core AI industry exceeded 1.2 trillion yuan, with over 6,200 enterprises. Chinese large models are going global; in the past year, China ranked first globally in downloads of open-source models. AI tools are empowering production; by the end of 2025, the adoption rate of AI technology applications among industrial enterprises above the designated size exceeded 30%. Intelligent terminals are becoming integrated into daily life, with domestic enterprises releasing over 300 types of humanoid robot products.
He also emphasized that the new roadmap "AI + Manufacturing" is a mandatory question, not optional. However, in promoting the development of the AI industry, it is necessary to balance development and security.
"We must adhere to the principle of 'AI being used by people, serving people, and being controlled by people,' while upholding the concept of open cooperation, strengthening international collaboration, and striving to make AI a global 'public good' that truly benefits all of humanity."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Wang Jue, Guo Hanlin)
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