Some Thoughts on Developing China's Machine Tool Industry

The resolution of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China states that "strengthening the national strategic scientific and technological strength, perfecting the national laboratory system, and constructing a new national system of key core technologies under the conditions of socialist market economy" "establishing a technological innovation system with enterprise as the main body, market-oriented, and deep integration of production, research and development. To enhance the basic capacity of the industry and the level of modernization of the industrial chain." The fifth meeting of the Central Committee on Finance and Economics, held in August 2019, also emphasized "supporting upstream and downstream enterprises to strengthen industrial synergy and technical cooperation ... It is necessary to establish a common technology platform to solve key common technology problems across industries and domains. We should give full play to the entrepreneurial spirit and artisan spirit, cultivate a group of 'specialized new' small and medium-sized enterprises."

Establishing a perfect technological innovation system to improve the basic capacity of the industry and the modernization level of the industrial chain, the central spirit points out the direction and path of revitalizing the machine tool industry and even the whole equipment manufacturing industry.

First, to strengthen the development of the machine tool industry strategic planning and top-level design. For a long time, western countries have been high-grade CNC machine tools and their key accessories as strategic materials. After the dissolution of Batumi, the West in the 1990s set up the " Wassena Agreement ", to sell to China's high-end equipment, numerical control systems, functional components continue to impose varying degrees of restrictions, some of China's important enterprises have been included in the United States, Europe and Japan "ban on sale blacklist."

In an increasingly complex international environment, it is impossible to achieve industrial upgrading through "free trade rules" and open introduction, and modernization is not possible. High-grade CNC machine tools and their supply chain, related to national economic and national defense security, must build a complete, independent, controllable machine tool industry system, discarding import dependence.

The new situation requires us to recognize the relationship between "openness" and "independence" at a new high level. We must adhere to the open state policy, but opening up must be based on independence, the ultimate goal of open learning is to enhance their own capacity, opening up can not harm sovereignty and fundamental development interests.

From the difficulties in the field of high-grade CNC machine tools, let us see that "technology gap" and "market trust" are the backward national industrial upgrading road must overcome two fundamental obstacles. In a highly open market environment, how to give full play to the advantages of the system, build a new national system of key core technology, break through the "card neck" technology short board? This needs to deal with the relationship between "market decision-making role" and "better government function" according to the actual situation of the industry.

Should be tailored to the industry situation, differential treatment. In the field of low-end machine tools, domestic enterprises already have considerable capacity, and the machine tool industry in the face of a variety of needs, there are a variety of technical possibilities, need to pay attention to play the role of the market, play the role of the main role of innovation. The focus of industrial policy should be on the field of high-end machine tools, in this field, in the face of the dominant position of multinational companies, relying solely on opening up competition, relying on their own enterprises to fight, can not get rid of the passive situation.

In view of this, the first is the need for top-level planning, further strengthen the leadership and policy coordination of relevant government agencies and industry organizations on the machine tool industry, guide the economic operation of the industry, implement the necessary policy support for enterprises within the framework of the WTO (including preferential tax relief policies), for the key links of the technical short board, organize scientific and technological research, promote the entire industrial chain technology upgrading and comprehensive competitiveness.

Second, the construction of a new technology research and development system. Rational allocation of limited scientific and technological resources in the industry, pay attention to personnel training, reverse the trend of insufficient students in colleges and universities, attach importance to the role of professional research and development institutions, to form a "enterprise and professional research and development institutions as the main body, the combination of new technology research and development system." From the basic research of machine tools, basic components to the overall design, the formation of a system layout, continuous financial support, pay attention to the protection and promotion of new technology results.

Third, pay attention to the "demand side" support policy. Experience has shown that for catch-up industries, the support of the state in the market sector is crucial, many promising new products in the "last kilometer" died, is because there is no opportunity to get the user's use of verification. "To give policy is better than to give orders", good products are cultivated by the market. Over the years, China's huge equipment market has nurtured a large number of multinational enterprises, it is time to strongly support the domestic industry. Through the government procurement policy (the first set of equipment applications), the user units undertaking national tasks have the responsibility to work with machine tool manufacturers to give them opportunities to improve. It is also necessary for the State to give corresponding compensation or insurance policies.

In short, strengthen industry guidance and organization, strengthen scientific and technological innovation, strengthen market support. Combined with the three aspects, the policy of promoting the development of machine tool industry as soon as possible will be determined by the state.