The Shanxi Transformation and Comprehensive Reform Demonstration Zone in North China's Shanxi province was recently rated as one of 11 national high-tech industrialization bases by the Ministry of Science and Technology. 

The zone -- which ranks 31st among all development zones in China -- was recognized as a national high-tech industrialization base of intelligent manufacturing.

Since its establishment in 2016, the zone has continued to improve its conditions in terms of policies, industry, technology, environment and talent for the development of intelligent manufacturing.

Currently, a total of 213 emerging industrial projects with a total investment of 302.4 billion yuan ($45.13 billion) have been signed and the estimated annual output value is 577.5 billion yuan. 

A total of 38 academician workstations, seven national-level research and development institutions, 53 provincial-level R&D institutions and 14 national-level science and technology intermediary institutions have based themselves in the zone. 

In 2019, the intelligent manufacturing industry cluster in the zone achieved sales revenue of 100 billion yuan, total industrial output value of 99 billion yuan and a total profit after tax of 4.5 billion yuan. Last year, companies in the cluster applied for 2,535 patents.

The high-tech industrial added value accounted for 15 percent of the total industrial added value of companies above a designated scale -- those with annual revenue of 20 million yuan or more -- in the zone last year. 

Its recognition as a national intelligent manufacturing high-tech industrialization base will help amplify the zone's leading role and promote the transformation and upgrading of Shanxi's equipment manufacturing industry.

Moving forwards, the zone will rely on its existing industrial facilities, to introduce and cultivate advanced manufacturing projects for the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, comprehensively promote the digital and intelligent upgrading of traditional manufacturing.