Xi Jinping Urges China to Expand Advanced Manufacturing and Secure Supply Chains

President Xi Jinping has called on China to expand its advanced manufacturing sector and tighten its grip on critical industrial supply chains, according to official media.

Speaking at the National Advanced Manufacturing Conference in Beijing this week, Xi said the country would "continue making advanced manufacturing bigger and stronger" and work to enhance the autonomy and controllability of its industrial chains. He also urged faster progress in building a modern industrial system anchored in advanced manufacturing.

Xi noted that China has already made substantial progress toward becoming a manufacturing powerhouse, with its advanced manufacturing sector improving in innovation, competitiveness and overall strength.

The push comes as Beijing redirects credit and resources away from the property sector toward advanced manufacturing, part of a broader effort to boost technological self-reliance and economic growth. However, the high-tech expansion has yet to translate into stronger household incomes and consumption.

Premier Li Qiang, speaking at the same event, said China should focus on next-generation intelligent manufacturing, speed up digital and AI-driven industrial upgrades, and intensify its pursuit of indigenous high-end technologies.

The remarks coincide with mounting unease, particularly in Europe, over a surge in Chinese exports of electric vehicles and other green-tech products. The trend has raised fears of a new wave of competitive pressure, sometimes referred to as "China Shock 2.0."