A circular on how to boost the coordinated development between manufacturing and the Internet was released by the State Council on May 20.

The circular elaborates on the main goals of the plan, in which by 2018, 80 percent of key enterprises will have their Internet-based platforms for entrepreneurship, enterprises using industry cloud will double, the development cycle of new products will be shortened by 12 percent, inventory turnover will be increased by 25 percent, and the energy utilization rate will be up by 5 percent.

By 2018, a digitalized, networked and smart manufacturing will achieve prominent progress. By 2025, a new type of manufacturing system will be in place, and the overall strength of manufacturing will see a significant rise, according to the circular.

The circular urged government to help enterprises create Internet-based platforms for entrepreneurship with the integrated application of various techniques of industry cloud and big data as well as new patterns of production and business operation. It also called for State-owned enterprises to expand reform, and establish a system with universities and research institutes to jointly research and promote technology.

Internet and telecom enterprises are encouraged to build platforms for supplying services, in which broadband infrastructure was highlighted. And more venture models like makerspaces are urged to support manufacturing, said the circular.

For industry integration, manufacturing and Internet enterprises are encouraged to create joint ventures of new models, and SMEs can integrate and utilize online and offline resources, and share techniques, facilities and services to optimize supply, according to the circular.

Cooperation between the two industries is encouraged in strategic investment, brand cultivation, online sales and logistics, in efforts to foster an ecosystem of production circulation.

Enterprises are urged to implement major projects such as intelligent manufacturing, develop new production models, and implement innovative production and business operation to satisfy individual needs collected from the Internet, said the circular.

In addition, online value-added services are encouraged, and online business of key enterprises will be adopted, with a goal to promote third-party e-commerce service platforms.

The government will push through national key research and development projects as technological support and basis for manufacturing upgrades, said the circular.

According to the circular, streamlining administration, relaxed market access, and enhanced supervision will be adopted to secure integration, and central enterprises are also encouraged to set up funds to lead the establishment of big enterprises’ Internet-based platforms for entrepreneurship.

Furthermore, the circular asked local governments to set up special funds to invest in key areas of integration, which is conducive to a smarter reconstruction of qualified enterprises, as well as provide support to related pilot projects.