China to step up integration of information, industry: minister

China will accelerate the integration of information technology and industrialization to become a world manufacturing power, a senior official said Monday.

The government will advance integration in such fields as production, equipment, management and service, said Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei, while delivering a report at the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, which runs from June 26 to July 1.

The country will sharpen the competitiveness of intelligent manufacturing in fields including key equipment, industrial robots, advanced digital-control machine tools and 3D printing, he said.

The "Internet Plus" plan will help develop new products and models using cloud computing, big data and the Internet of Things, he said.

Enterprises will be supported to develop services including online monitoring and diagnosis, remote maintenance, financial leasing and product life-cycle management, he said.

Miao also said the country will step up the development of 5G mobile communication technology.

China has the world's largest 4G mobile network, with 160 million users.

The country also aims to install broadband in the countryside and enhance the network in rural areas and the less developed central and western regions, he said.

In his report, Miao noted that integration efforts needed supportive policies and investment, and the exploitation of data resources was low.

To tackle the problems, Miao said, the government should improve the legal systems, create a sound environment for innovation, and provide more financial and fiscal support, train more talent and strengthen information security. Endi