Blueprint significant for e-info sector

Experts have described China's newly released plan for the electronic information manufacturing sector as a strategic blueprint that will not only consolidate the country's position on the global industrial stage, but also solidify its transition into the artificial intelligence era.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission on Monday jointly issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Electronic Information Manufacturing Industry, setting a clear roadmap for the sector through 2030.

The plan envisions that by 2030, China's electronic information manufacturing industry will play a pivotal role in the global industrial landscape, with combined revenue of industrial firms above designated size exceeding 30 trillion yuan ($4.47 trillion), up from 17.4 trillion yuan in 2025.

It aims to cultivate a batch of key technologies and products in fields such as integrated circuits, advanced computing, consumer electronics, basic electronics and energy-related electronics, while fostering world-class enterprises with strong competitiveness.

Experts said the significance of the plan lies in its recognition of electronic information manufacturing as the critical material foundation for AI development and the main battlefield for AI industrialization. As AI accelerates, it is reinforcing innovation across chips, complete machines, terminals and manufacturing processes, driving profound changes in the sector's growth momentum, product system and production methods.

Li Hongwei, chief engineer of the China Center for Information Industry Development, said AI will upgrade the consumer electronics terminal industry from four areas during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period.

In terms of product supply, new categories such as AI phones, AI computers, AI glasses and AI toys will continue to emerge, enriching the terminal product system. On technological innovation, AI terminals' higher demand for computing power and energy efficiency will drive iterative upgrades in on-device large models, AI chips, high-bandwidth memory, multilayer ceramic capacitors and silicon carbide optical waveguides, Li said.

Regarding standards, the growing variety of AI terminals will push forward industry standards, guiding both product upgrades and consumer decisions. In application scenarios, AI's deep integration with vertical fields will expand consumer electronics into healthcare, home-based eldercare and education, while cross-sector applications will unlock new consumption scenarios and release terminal product value, he added.

The plan deploys 17 key tasks around four pillars: consolidating industrial foundations, enhancing quality and competitiveness, cultivating new growth drivers and improving governance. The first pillar focuses on full-chain breakthroughs in integrated circuits, high-end development of electronic components and materials, innovation and application of intelligent sensors, supply capacity for electronic special equipment and measuring instruments, and the foundation of the photonics industry.

The second aims to strengthen the competitiveness of electronic complete machines and systems by improving industrial chain resilience, building an advanced computing ecosystem, accelerating consumer electronics innovation and advancing software-hardware coordination.

The third pillar seeks to cultivate new growth points by consolidating advantages in energy electronics, promoting the spatiotemporal information industry, strengthening the AI hardware foundation and accelerating digital-intelligent technology integration in industry-specific electronics.

The fourth focuses on sustainable development by enhancing independent innovation, modernizing industrial governance, optimizing regional coordination, and building a new pattern of opening-up and cooperation.

Ao Li, vice-president of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, said China should seize the opportunities of the technological revolution and take strategic initiative in the intelligent era's hardware innovation cycle. Ao said breakthroughs in large models, multimodal capabilities, deep reasoning and embodied intelligence are driving rapid expansion in demand for AI accelerators, high-bandwidth memory, advanced packaging, high-speed optical interconnect and liquid cooling.

masi@chinadaily.com.cn