In this year's Government Work Report, Premier Li Keqiang said the country will "encourage enterprises to use flexible and custom-tailored production processes and foster a craftsmanship spirit of striving for the best, so that more types of products, products of higher quality, and brand products will be made". This was the first time the term "craftsmanship spirit" has been mentioned in the Government Work Report, and it drew much public attention.

Craftsmanship spirit refers to the dedication craftspeople give to their work in order to make it as perfect as possible. The use of the phrase in the Government Work report this year indicates the government wants to encourage enterprises and individuals to cultivate such a spirit to facilitate economic restructuring and promote innovation.

At present, China's manufacturing industries are at the low end of the global industrial chain. Chinese industries should have more independent innovation capability. Adopting a craftsmanship spirit will help China's transition from being a big manufacturing country to a powerful manufacturing country. Many traditional industries are still pillars of the national economy, and they require the craftsmanship spirit to improve their competitive capabilities in the international market.

(China Daily 03/14/2016 page8)