By LI Linxu

As part of efforts to build a manufacturing powerhouse, China has unveiled a three-year work plan to promote the digital transformation of its raw materials industry.

The plan was recently released by nine government bodies including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the National Development and Reform Commission.

Raw materials industry, the foundation of real economy, is characterized by high resource and energy intensity, complex processes, and strong continuity of production, said an official from MIIT, adding that the plan aims to advance the sector's high-quality development through digital transformation.

The industrial value added of raw materials industry accounted for about 30 percent of the country's value added of industrial enterprises above designated size, according to the official statistics.

A new materials plant in Hebei province. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By 2026, significant progress is expected to be made in the digital transformation of raw materials industry, according to the plan. Digital technologies will be deeply integrated into the industry's processes, such as R&D, design, manufacturing, production, management and market service.

Specific digital transformation targets for the run-up to 2026 have also been set.

More than 120 typical scenarios, over 60 model factories and a batch of model enterprises will be cultivated for digital transformation.

A new big data center for new materials, four manufacturing innovation centers, and six industrial internet platforms at industry level will be built.

A batch of key technologies will be tackled and a slew of standards will be formulated.

To achieve these goals, the plan has laid out a series of measures, such as strengthening digitalization foundation, improving networking infrastructure, and cultivating digital transformation models.

Supporting green development, advancing the construction of smart industrial parks, and promoting AI applications are also in the plan.