Recently, a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee emphasized the need to expand high-level opening-up and stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and investment. Currently, China’s foreign trade volume continues to grow, with its structure constantly improving. The “innovation content” and “value-added content” of foreign trade are steadily increasing, while the competitiveness of high-tech and high-value-added products is further strengthening. Supported by a comprehensive industrial system and driven by cutting-edge technological innovation, China’s ability to withstand external shocks and challenges in foreign trade continues to improve, injecting critical momentum into industrial upgrading and stabilizing the economic foundation.
Technological innovation is a key driver of China’s high-level opening-up. The country places great emphasis on the role of innovation in the economic system, with this year’s Government Work Report outlining multiple measures to “advance self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology.” Under strong policy guidance, funding for technological innovation has increased significantly. In 2024, China ranked 11th in the Global Innovation Index, with R&D expenditures exceeding 3.6 trillion yuan, an 8.3% year-on-year increase, accounting for 2.68% of GDP. R&D resources continue to flow into strategic emerging industries such as integrated circuits, aerospace, biopharmaceuticals, and new materials, laying a solid foundation for cultivating new advantages in international trade.
The rapid rise of high-tech industries has become a powerful new driver of trade growth. High-tech products inherently possess irreplaceability and strong market resilience. In recent years, China has not only achieved breakthroughs in traditional industrial technologies but has also taken a leading position in emerging fields, accelerating the transformation of “Made in China” from labor- and resource-intensive to knowledge- and technology-intensive. Amid growing external demand uncertainties and pressure on traditional exports, high-tech industries are countering weak demand risks with robust growth resilience, becoming a key pillar in stabilizing foreign trade. For example, in terms of hard power, China’s equipment manufacturing capabilities—represented by aircraft, high-speed rail, ships, and automobiles—continue to improve, entering high-end segments of global supply chains. Ship and marine engineering equipment exports have maintained growth momentum for four consecutive years. Breakthroughs in key areas such as chips, industrial robots, and satellite communication equipment are emerging, while the drone industry related to low-altitude economies is rapidly expanding. In terms of soft power, the digital services industry is thriving, with original games like “Black Myth: Wukong” gaining global traction, animated films like “Ne Zha” receiving widespread acclaim, and AI models like DeepSeek rapidly iterating—all reflecting the rise of new service trade formats and the construction of a modern service industry system driven by technology and data.
The strong momentum of intelligent and green manufacturing transformation is reshaping China’s competitive advantages in foreign trade. Intelligence and sustainability have become global economic themes, driving deep digital transformation across manufacturing processes. By continuously improving energy efficiency through innovation, industries are meeting their own upgrading needs while laying the groundwork for new trade advantages and overcoming trade barriers. As China’s independent innovation capabilities significantly strengthen, the global competitiveness of “Intelligent Manufacturing in China” continues to rise. Meanwhile, private enterprises have become a vital force in technological innovation, showcasing dynamic progress—from cost-effective AI open-source models to robotic performers on stage. Among specialized “little giant” enterprises with actual import-export performance, over 80% are private companies, with more high-tech products “sailing overseas” to meet international market demands with high-quality supply. These changes indicate China’s upward movement in the global value chain, with industrial structures continuously optimizing and the transition from a “manufacturing powerhouse” to an “intelligent manufacturing leader” becoming more robust.
High-level opening-up driven by innovation is injecting stability into the global economic landscape. The strategic value of innovation extends beyond trade growth and structural improvements—it reshapes multilateral cooperation through institutional openness. Against the current backdrop, China adheres to inclusive development principles, embracing the world with a mutually beneficial opening strategy. Today, China actively promotes the export of high-tech products, technical standards, and service capabilities, building closer technological cooperation networks with emerging economies and expanding technology spillover effects. For instance, in ASEAN regions, China’s high-tech industries engage in joint R&D and technology transfers, enhancing partners’ industrial competitiveness while expanding its own global market presence. In Brazil, Chinese technology in hydropower and telecommunications exemplifies the “going global” strategy, transitioning from single equipment exports to systemic solutions, demonstrating growing technological influence. This “teaching to fish” cooperation model helps build stable and reliable global supply chains, achieving genuine mutual benefits and fostering international consensus on openness and shared prosperity.
Innovation is not an isolated technological breakthrough but an engine for high-quality economic development and high-level opening-up. Looking ahead, further increasing investment in science and technology, accelerating breakthroughs in core technologies, and deepening the integration of innovation, industry, and supply chains
