Economic Daily:

I've noticed that in 2023, the digital economy's proportion of Shandong province's GDP exceeded 47%. What measures will be taken in the future to promote the deep integration of the digital economy and the real economy to further drive the high-quality development of the digital economy? Thank you.

Sun Aijun:

Thank you for your concern. The digital economy is key to winning future competition. We have accelerated efforts to build Shandong into a digital powerhouse in recent years. Last year, the value-added of the digital economy reached 4.3 trillion yuan, accounting for 47% of the province's GDP, which is nearly 8 percentage points higher than the proportion of the secondary industry. It can be said that the digital economy has contributed almost half of Shandong's GDP. In particular, as a major manufacturing province, we have made great efforts to promote the integration of the digital economy and the real economy. Shandong ranks among the top in the country for its industrial digitalization index, with 47 national-level industrial internet platforms and 35 national-level smart factories, the most in the country.

Last year, the Shandong Provincial Committee of the CPC and the Shandong Provincial People's Government held a conference on the high-quality development of the digital economy. It established a special fund of 10 billion yuan, with increasingly strong support. We will seek breakthroughs in three major areas, leading economic and social transformation in all aspects with digital transformation.

First, we will strengthen the digital industry, which is our key focus. After years of cultivation, we have built a sound foundation. Shandong province's big data industry accounts for one-eighth of the country's total, and the integrated circuit industry now has a complete industrial chain. Shandong company Inspur's shipments of general servers rank first in the country, and Goertek's virtual reality headsets account for 80% of the global medium- and high-end market. Based on these, we have planned and implemented 10 major projects, such as "Strong Chip" in integrated circuits and "Solid Link" in advanced computing, while launching 100 leading projects each year. We have formulated supporting policies in taxation, finance, and land use, provided targeted one-on-one support, and promoted the information technology industry's revenue to maintain double-digit growth, aiming to exceed 2.4 trillion yuan by the end of next year.

Second, we will deepen digital development. Approximately 20% of the province's efforts will be dedicated to digital industrialization, while the majority, around 80%, will be allocated to industrial digitalization. With a solid industrial foundation, Shandong has a high demand for smart transformation and various digital scenarios. Currently, we are implementing eight major actions to promote industrial digitalization, with 32 "industrial brains" supporting the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector. Over the next two years, we plan to establish more than 500 bases for smart agricultural applications and 10 platform economy clusters. By focusing on these areas, the province aims to tap into the huge market of industrial digitalization.

Third, we will enhance digital infrastructure. To develop the digital economy, the construction of new infrastructure is essential. We have two national internet backbone access points in Jinan and Qingdao, making us the first province in the country with "dual hubs." Shandong also has the largest number of Internet of Things terminals, totaling 220 million. We are committed to expanding these efforts. This year, all 16 cities in Shandong province will meet the gigabit city standard. In addition, we aim to build and put into operation another 70,000 5G base stations by the end of next year, bringing the total number to over 270,000. These efforts are aimed at further intensifying the digital infrastructure network and boosting the development of the digital economy. Thank you.