中国寻求产业转型

This year's theme in Davos is "Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution". It's also known as "Industry 4.0", which has become a worldwide buzz phrase. For China, this means setting a direction for its industrial transformation and upgrading.

This is the future of manufacturing. Companies and research institutes have set up the first "Industry 4.0" smart factory lab in China.

The term Internet 4.0 was first introduced in Germany, which is leading the fourth stage of the industrial revolution.

And in China, together with the country's strategic program "Made in China 2025", the focus is on the convergence of various concepts that integrate the digital and physical.

For example, the internet of things, the cyber-physical system, the advancement of big data and communication infrastructure.

It means machines using self-optimisation, self-configuration, even artificial intelligence to complete complex tasks. And it will deliver superior cost efficiencies and better quality goods or services.

“Industry 4.0 is not just focusing on technical issues, but more on people’s concepts and management. Many German engineers agree that Chinese factories have to adjust their production process first," said Chen Ming, deputy director, Sino-German College of Applied Sciences, Tongji Univ..

"Industry 4.0 is not automation. Instead of ‘human-free’ factories, it means smart factories which place more importance on human’s interaction with robots.”

Instead of traditional mass production, different products will come from the same production line, tailored to each customer.

Experts said the challenges are as daunting as the opportunities are compelling.

"If we see how China makes use of Industry 4.0, there are some challenges and risks within this concept. One is of course, loss of jobs," Giz vice chairman Christoph Beier said.

"If you increase productivity, you set free lots of labor force, and you have to think about what to do with these labor force. So there is of course, a huge demand for training, especially vocational training."

"So I think China has to invest heavily in training, and also in digitial literacy in order to cope with the challenges coming within those concepts."

"No matter if it's developing Industry 4.0 or Industry 5.0, it's a mind-changing transformation. It's requires structural reform and innovation to be competitive enough to survive," said Wang Hongyan, chief exec. chairman, China Manufacturing Management Int'l Forum.

Industry 4.0 is expected to have a great impact on the industry value chain. It is essentially a confluence of the digital and the physical world, giving rise to a new future.