Private companies in Jilin province have set their sights on innovation as a key to improving core competitiveness.

Pointing at rows of workover rigs and oil production trucks, Han Yiquan, the board chairman of Tonghua Petrochemical Machinery Manufacture Co Ltd, noted the company's products are now on sale in 17 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada, Russia, South America, the Middle East and South Asia.

The company is among the top 50 Chinese petrochemical machine and equipment makers. It has now developed more than 100 new products and applied for 32 patents.