Anhui's Evolution: Agricultural Heartland to Tech Powerhouse
HEFEI, China, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- By the shores of Chaohu Lake, the Hefei Binhu International Convention and Exhibition Center will host the 2024 World Manufacturing Convention from September 20 to 23. Manufacturing representatives from around the world aim to leverage this high-profile platform to draw increased attention.
Anhui, once known for its coal, grain, and steel production, has undergone a significant transformation. It has shifted from being a traditional agricultural province to becoming a manufacturing hub, evolving from a base for energy and raw materials to a center for emerging industries. The province is now striving to establish itself as a leading force in manufacturing. Emerging industries such as semiconductors, display technologies, electric vehicles, and smart technologies are growing in scale, while future-oriented sectors like the low-altitude economy and quantum information are also gaining traction. Anhui's manufacturing sector continues to evolve, reshaping external perceptions.
The automotive industry, with its extensive supply chain and significant influence, remains a crucial sector in manufacturing. In the context of global shifts in the automotive landscape, vehicles made in Anhui have experienced rapid growth, contributing to the development of a competitive electric vehicle cluster. On August 5, Fortune China released its 2024 Fortune Global 500 list, with Chery Holding Group reporting $39.0917 billion in revenue. This local Anhui company has held the title of China's top passenger car exporter for 21 consecutive years.
Luo Wenshan, Deputy Director of the Anhui Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, reported that in 2023, Anhui produced 2.491 million vehicles, ranking second nationwide. The automotive industry generated 1.15 trillion yuan in revenue, joining equipment manufacturing as one of two trillion-yuan industries in the province. In 2023, Anhui's industrial revenue reached 5.1 trillion yuan, making it the top performer among China's central and western regions. In three key sectors of emerging technology—photovoltaic modules, lithium batteries, and new energy vehicles—Anhui produced one-fifth of China's solar panels, one-seventh of its lithium batteries, and one-eighth of its electric vehicles.
The low-altitude economy represents a new form of productive capacity. In Wuhu, Anhui, where the 2024 Low-Altitude Economy Development Conference was recently held, an emerging aviation hub has developed on what was once remote, undeveloped land. Over the course of a decade, this region has transformed into a low-altitude industrial cluster, with general aviation as its core and the drone industry as a key support. Nearly 200 companies, including CETC Diamond Aircraft and United Aircraft, have established operations here, generating an annual output value of 40 billion yuan.
Innovation has become a shared principle among businesses in Anhui and is the primary driving force behind the province's industrial development. So far, Anhui has established three national research and development centers focused on new glass materials, intelligent voice technologies, and general machinery components, tying for the highest number in the country.
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