China’s Smart Manufacturing Advances Across Multiple Regions
China is accelerating industrial innovation across multiple regions, with smart manufacturing achievements emerging in wind power, low-altitude economy, and intelligent mold production, according to a Xinhua News feature published August 1. The developments showcase the country’s progress in advanced manufacturing under its 15th Five-Year Plan framework.
Wind Power Manufacturing in Shandong Dezhou
In Dezhou, Shandong Province, Tongyu Heavy Industry is processing 7-megawatt wind turbine rotor housing structural components for a German wind power company. The rotor housing, described as the “heart chamber” of direct-drive wind turbines, requires extremely high precision—processed to hair-thin levels through the company’s proprietary technology.
Tongyu is one of the few domestic companies capable of simultaneously supplying wind power forgings, castings, and structural components in bulk. Its innovative metal mold casting process has doubled production efficiency, with annual output of cast main shafts exceeding 2,000 units at internationally advanced levels. The company’s full range of wind power components generates nearly 2 billion yuan in annual sales, and its global market share has ranked among the world’s top for eight consecutive years.
China’s wind power installed capacity has reached 640 million kilowatts, leading the world, according to SmartHey. Wind and solar combined installed capacity exceeded 1.8 billion kilowatts for the first time by the end of 2025—equivalent to about 82 Three Gorges power stations. Chinese wind and solar products are exported to more than 200 countries and regions, cumulatively reducing carbon emissions by approximately 4.1 billion tons for other countries over the past five years.
Low-Altitude Economy Takes Flight in Henan Anyang
Anyang, one of the first 26 general aviation industry comprehensive demonstration zone cities approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, is building a full-chain low-altitude industry spanning research and development, parts processing, complete machine assembly, and low-altitude applications.
The city has over 200 low-altitude economy enterprises across the entire industry chain, with its drone industry park achieving annual output value exceeding 1.3 billion yuan in 2025, up more than 30 percent year-on-year, as reported by Dahe News. The Blue Sky Laboratory serves as the core engine, hosting over 100 top experts and driving 7 research topics, 14 national standards, and 240 authorized patents.
Nationally, China’s low-altitude economy is expanding rapidly. According to the China Low-Altitude Economy Development Index Report (2026), released at the 9th Digital China Summit, China’s civil drone complete machine output value reached 176.1 billion yuan in 2025, up approximately 20 percent year-on-year. Registered drones reached 3.287 million, up 51 percent, with annual flight hours growing nearly 70 percent to 45.3 million hours.
The market is expected to reach 1.5 trillion yuan in 2026, with 2026 marking the transition from pilot flights to normal operations, according to Jiemian News.
Intelligent Mold Manufacturing in Hebei Huanghua
In Huanghua, Hebei Province, the mold industry is undergoing a smart transformation. Jinggong Plastic Mold Co., Ltd. invested over 20 million yuan in 2024 to build a new factory where automated robotic arms have replaced manual processes, improving mold production precision by 30 percent compared to manual operations, according to Xinhua Hebei.
Andi Mold Technology, with over 40 years in the industry, has continuously upgraded digital and lean production, achieving an annual output value of 150 million yuan in 2025. The Huanghua Economic Development Zone has implemented enterprise-support policies including technical renovation subsidies, industrial support, talent introduction, and tax reductions, along with streamlined approval services.
Policy Framework and Implications
The developments align with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which calls for accelerating the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient new energy system and building an energy power—the first time “energy power” has appeared in a five-year plan. The plan is expected to drive investment of over 20 trillion yuan.
These regional innovations also reflect China’s broader “AI + Manufacturing” strategy. Eight government departments jointly issued the “AI + Manufacturing” Special Action Implementation Opinions, marking a new stage of systematic promotion for manufacturing intelligent transformation, as analyzed by China Daily. The initiative targets creating 100 high-quality industrial datasets by 2027 and cultivating 3-5 general large models for deep application in manufacturing.
What’s Next
As China’s regions continue to accelerate industrial innovation, the convergence of new energy, low-altitude economy, and intelligent manufacturing is reshaping the country’s industrial landscape. With the low-altitude economy transitioning to normal operations and wind/solar capacity continuing to expand, these sectors are positioned to drive significant economic growth while contributing to global clean energy transition goals. The coming years will reveal how effectively these regional initiatives scale into national industrial competitiveness.