BEIJING, January 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chinese President Xi Jinping has conducted in-depth field work and inspections on the production field over the past year, highlighting the progress and main directions for developing new high-quality productive forces.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attached great importance to the development of AI and gave a series of important instructions during the year.
In April 2025, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held a group study session focusing on strengthening the development and regulation of AI.
During the session, Xi stressed the need to comprehensively advance technological innovation, industrial development and application empowerment in the field of AI, improve regulatory systems and mechanisms, and firmly uphold the initiative in AI development and governance.
Just four days after the group study session, Xi embarked on a journey to learn more about AI development.
During his inspection tour in Shanghai at the end of April last year, he visited the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center.
“This AI initiative is part of our efforts to advance China’s modernization, build China into a strong country and realize the great cause of national rejuvenation, and hope lies in all of you,” Xi said.
During an inspection visit to Bensteel Group in northeast China’s Liaoning Province in January last year, Xi stressed that the steel industry is an important fundamental industry of the country, crucial to the country’s real economy.
While inspecting Luoyang Bearing Group in Luoyang city, central China’s Henan province, in May, Xi said modern manufacturing relies on the empowerment of science and technology.
“China has always followed the path of real economy development. From its past reliance on imported matches, soap and iron, to now becoming the world’s largest manufacturing country with the most comprehensive industrial categories, we have taken the right path. To truly realize China’s modernization, we must continue to strengthen the manufacturing sector and master manufacturing technologies independently,” Xi said.
In a conversation with workers of Yangquan Valve Co., Ltd during his inspection tour in north China’s Shanxi province in July last year, Xi said the real economy should not be abandoned, nor traditional industries, while emphasizing industrial transformation and modernization through technological innovation.
SOURCE CCTV+
