President calls for worldwide manufacturing cooperation

President Xi Jinping called for greater global cooperation and mutual learning in the manufacturing sector in order to jointly seize opportunities arising from the new round of the scientific and industrial revolution.

Xi's remark came as he sent a congratulatory letter to the opening of the 2019 World Manufacturing Convention that opened in Hefei, Anhui province, on Friday.

He said that the global manufacturing sector is undergoing profound changes, and it is important for different countries to improve their innovation capacity in the sector and promote changes in terms of quality, efficiency and driving force.

China attaches great importance to the growth of the manufacturing sector and adheres to an innovation-driven development strategy and considers promotion of the high-quality development of manufacturing — an important part of building a modernized economy, Xi said.

China stands ready to work with all others to advance the vigorous development of new technologies in manufacturing and make positive contributions to high-quality development and the shared benefits of the global manufacturing industry, Xi added.

The four-day event, given the theme "Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Creativity: Embracing the New Era of Manufacturing", has drawn more than 4,000 participants from over 60 countries and regions.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, State Councilor Wang Yong said amid the inevitable trend of economic globalization, the globalization of manufacturing is also an irresistible trend. China will adhere to its road of opening-up and cooperative development, seeking operations with all other countries in manufacturing, Wang said.

China's manufacturing sector, as the foundation of its real economy, produced 26 trillion yuan ($3.7 trillion) in added value in 2018, showcasing China as the world's largest manufacturing country, Wang said.

China's 1.4 billion people, including 400 million middle-income earners, and over 100 million companies, will offer opportunities to outside partners, Wang said.

At the opening ceremony, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said that a friendly China with considerable manufacturing strength is a role model for Iraq.

Nadhim Zahawi, British parliamentary undersecretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said China, especially Anhui province, and the United Kingdom can work together to help the world prosper.