The added value of industrial enterprises above a designated size -- those with annual revenue of more than 20 million yuan ($3.11 million) -- in North China's Shanxi province increased 23.9 percent year-on-year in the first quarter.

The added value of the coal industry increased 24.1 percent during the period and that of the non-coal industries grew 23.8 percent, year-on-year.

Among the industries above a designated size, the added value of the equipment manufacturing, industrial strategic emerging industries and high-tech manufacturing sector grew 41.8 percent, 29.4 percent and 25.3 percent, respectively.

Tan Guorong, director of operations division of Shanxi Department of Industry and Information Technology, said that the growth was due to province's implementation of new development concepts. 

He said it was also due to the introduction of a series of policy measures designed to reduce the region's dependence on the coal economy, promote the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry and its emerging industries. 

Since the start of 2021, Shanxi has focused on supporting enterprise technological innovation and upgrading. It has also focused on the development of industrial foundation and industrial chains, industrial digital transformation and the growth of industry clusters -- enhancing the capabilities of businesses and their core competitiveness, by utilizing technology upgrading funds.

In addition, the development of 200 manufacturing transformation and upgrading projects -- as well as 200 projects in the digital economy sector -- has been advanced by the provincial authorities.

The province has also established high-end innovation platforms and recruited and trained innovative individuals and groups to tackle key common technological bottlenecks. 

Moving forwards, the province plans to continue to coordinate the development of coal industry and its non-coal industries, traditional industries and strategic emerging industries, so as to further optimize its industrial structure.