Xu Yixian, Party chief of Jiyuan, Henan province, and a deputy to the National People's Congress, is leading efforts to transform the city's industrial landscape through cutting-edge advancements in nanotechnology.

Xu emphasized Jiyuan's dedication to an innovation-driven development strategy, with a keen focus on achieving core technological breakthroughs, as highlighted in this year's government work report.

The report stressed seizing opportunities from the new round of technological revolution, enhancing independent innovation capabilities, and providing technological support for high-quality development.

In 2003, Jiyuan partnered with Henan University to establish the province's first nanotechnology pilot base. "Jiyuan is the third-largest production and research base for nanomaterials in China," he said.

The base also established a testing and inspection sharing platform and implemented a high-value patent cultivation project to accelerate development on a 100-billion-yuan ($13.8 billion) nanotech industrial cluster.

Over the past two decades, Jiyuan has overcome bottlenecks in nanotechnology as it transitioned from laboratory innovations to the marketplace, Xu said, adding that "With core nanotech breakthroughs, more innovations are rapidly being commercialized, redefining new materials and expanding their applications."

At the 10th China International Conference on Nanoscience and Technology in 2025, Jiyuan showcased green zero-carbon nano-rubber, lauded for its innovation and market potential.

The draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) places a strong emphasis on several key areas to drive technological advancement and economic growth. It highlights the need to accelerate high-level technological self-reliance, guide the development of new quality productive forces, and strengthen original innovation and core technological breakthroughs.

"These plans show us the way to accelerate innovation and development," Xu commented, adding that Jiyuan would deepen its cooperation with the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology and other research institutions.

The city aims to establish high-level joint laboratories and technology transfer platforms, attract top talent and project resources, strengthen the strategic emerging industry of nanomaterials, and promote the deep integration of nanotechnology with both traditional and emerging industries, Xu said.