China manufacturing industry has enjoyed a very fast development and its general scale has ranked in top places in the world with very obvious comparative advantages internationally. At current, as the pillar industry of the national economy of China , the manufacturing industry serves as the dominant sector for economic growth and basis for economic transformation. As an important basis for the economic and social development, the manufacturing industry is the main channel for employment in cities and towns of China and the major embodiment of international competitiveness of China . As the main symbol of the improvement of comprehensive national power of China in the past over 20 years, the comprehensive development and optimized upgrading of the manufacturing industry have enabled China to primarily establish the status as a “big country of manufacturing” and laid the sound foundation for China to transformed to be a “strong country of manufacturing”.
The industrial added-value of China amounted to RMB12.9112tn in 2008, up by 9.5% year-on-year. The added-value of industry above the specified scale increased by 12.9%, among which, the growth of state-owned and state holding enterprises was 9.1%, that of collective enterprises, 8.1%, that of share-issuing enterprises, 15.0%, that of foreign-invested or Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan-invested enterprises, 9.9% and that of private enterprises, 20.4%. By light and heavy industries, the light industry grew by 12.3% and the heavy industry by 13.2%.
Among industries above the specified scale, the added-value of the coal exploitation and washing and selection industry increased by 19.1% year-on-year, that of the oil and natural gas exploitation industry by 6.1%, that of the cultural, educational and sports products manufacturing industry by 18.2%, that of the fuel gas production and supply industry by 26.8%, that of the agricultural and sideline products processing industry by 15.0%, that of the general-purpose equipment manufacturing industry by 16.9%, that of the transport and communication facilities manufacturing industry by 15.2%, that of the communication equipment, computer and other electronic equipment manufacturing industry by 12.0%, that of the electric machines and that of the equipment manufacturing industry by 18.1% and that of the chemical fiber manufacturing industry by 2.2%. The added-value of the top 6 industries in terms of high consumption of energy grew by 10.0% year-on-year, among which, that of non-ferrous mineral products industry increased by 16.9%, that of the ferrous metal smelting and rolling processing industry by 8.2%, that of the chemical raw materials and products manufacturing industry by 10.0%, that of the non-ferrous metal smelting and rolling processing industry by 12.3%, that of the power and thermal power production and supply industry by 8.6%, and that of the oil processing and coking and nuclear fuel processing industry by 4.3%. The added-value of the hi-tech manufacturing industry grew by 14.0% year-on-year.
The construction industry of China realized RMB1.7071tn added-value in 2008, up by 7.1% year-on-year. The overall contracting and professional contracting enterprises engaged in the construction industry with qualification levels nationwide realized RMB175.6bn profits, up by 12.5% year-on-year, among which, the profits made by state-owned and state holding enterprises was RMB50.9bn, up by 21.8%. The amount of tax paid totaled RMB205.8bn, up by 20.0%, among which, state-owned and state holding enterprises paid RMB77.1bn, up by 24.7%.
On respect of utilization of foreign capital, the manufacturing industry always stays at the dominant position. In 2008, there are 11,568 foreign capital projects in the manufacturing industry, accounting for 42.04% of the total foreign capital projects, down by 39.73% year-on-year. The actual utilization of foreign capital reached USD49.89bn, accounting for 54% of the total actual utilization of foreign capitals, down by 22.10% year-on-year.
The major task of China at the new stage in the new century is to realize industrialization. Industrialization usually refers to the process whereby the number of labors involved in the manufacturing industry and the second industry is increasing and that involved in the primary industry is reducing. China has been at the middle stage of industrialization and its industrialization has not been realized. Under the background of significant development of global scientific and technical revolution and the spreading of informatization, China has abandoned the road of traditional industrialization, while take the new path of industrialization driven by informatization. The new industrialization features high content of science and technology, good economic benefits, low energy consumption and environmental pollution and full playing of the advantage of human resources. The former four features are requirements to adapt to global tremendous scientific and technical progresses and the economic sustainable development. The last feature is put forth according to the national situation of China , which has abundant human resources. The main tasks of China to adjust the industrial structure in future is to take the new path of industrialization, enhance independent innovation abilities, encourage and support the development of advanced production capacities and restrict and abandon backward production capabilities with the Reform and Opening-up and scientific and technical progress as the drive, avoid blind investment and low-level repeated construction and promote the optimal upgrading o f industrial structure. Pursuit of development mode focusing on conservation, environmental protection and safety will be the main development direction of China 's manufacturing industry.