A worker stokes the furnace at a Sanming Steel (Group) Co Ltd factory in Sanming, East China's Fujian province. [YANG ENUO/FOR CHINA DAILY]

The central government has set up a leading team to promote the upgrading of China's manufacturing industry, so it can become a global manufacturing power by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Comments:

The team will coordinate actions for major projects and strategies, and strengthen communication and supervision. Before the establishment of the team, there was a lack of coordination among the various government departments. The upgrading of its manufacturing industry is key to China's future development, and it needs such a powerful and senior organization to coordinate the efforts to achieve this.

Cao Heping, professor of economics at Peking University, June 25

A daunting task for the team is to promote the efficiency of China's manufacturing industry through innovation and new technology. If not, rising production costs will erode Chinese manufacturing industry's competitive strength, not only in the competition with the high-tech economies, but also the economies based on cheap labor. The lack of innovation is the biggest risk for China in its transformation from a big manufacturer to a strong one.

Nie Riming, a columnist at Beijing News, June 25

By 2025, Chinese manufacturing should be "smarter". Its strength must come from its innovation capabilities. The application of Internet technology and the other advanced information technology will directly promote the upgrading of China's manufacturing industry. Compared with the United States and Germany, China's strength comes from the efficient mobilization of resources. The new leading team can boost this advantage in global competition.

Beijing Youth Daily, June 25