The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the eighth of which is "decent work and economic growth", namely: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all. 

Under this major goal, there are twelve targets, the second of which is "Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors".

● Current Situation

About the World

Innovation Accelerates Pace of Change

Human development in recent decades has been accompanied by rapid changes in technology and an increasing proliferation of digitilized devices and services. And the pace of change seems likely to accelerate as a result of “frontier technologies”such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, biotechnology and nanotechnology. 

These technologies have already increased productivity and improve life and represent $350 billion markets, which could grow to $3.2 trillion by 2025.

Text and photo source: Technology and Innovation Report 2021 

About China

Leading Global Innovation

Global Innovation Index Report 2020 released by the World Intellectual Property Organization indicates that among 131 countries in the world, China ranks the fourteenth in the global innovation index, which is the only middle-income countries in the top 30. China ranks first in important indicators such as patents, utility models, trademarks, industrial design applications and exports of creative products. In addition, there are 17 science and technology clusters in China listing on the global top 100 and the second in the world after the United States.

Photo source: ifeng.com

China has become a global leader in innovation. The young generation of Chinese entrepreneurs have innovation spirit, adventurer and global vision. They are leading a new round of world industrial and consumption trends. From "made in China" to "made in China", China has only taken a short time of more than a decade. As an important part of the future strategy, China's quality oriented development model is replacing the past speed oriented development model. Innovation has become one of the new engines driving China's economic development.

Text source: people.cn

●  Cases

About the World

German Automobile Industry Transformed to Electric and Digital

As an important tool to promote transformation and ensure employment, the German federal government would launch "future fund" for the automotive industry before the general election in September this year, providing 1 billion euros to promote the electric and digital transformation. Of these funds, 340 million euros will be used for the regional "transformation network"; another 340 million euros to promote digital solutions; and about 320 million euros is used to support medium-sized companies, including conversion of electric drive and fuel cell production, and further training of employees.

Photo source: sohu.com

Automobile is a pillar industry in Germany. One in every seven jobs in Germany is related to the automobile industry. The German government and the industry well aware that the core theme of successful transformation is digitization. Government funding will focus on promoting digitization of the automotive industry. In July 2021, the German Volkswagen Group launched the "new car" business strategy and announced to improve its business situation by focusing more on electric vehicles and software driven services. Volkswagen will create a shared platform and technology, and developing its own "operating system" in order to build a digital service ecosystem.

Text source: ce.cn

UK Corporate R & D Increases Innovation and Productivity

UK government promotes corporate innovation activities and incremental innovation, and provides financing services for innovative companies with gaps in long-term growth financing. The UK commercial banks launched a future fund project in May 2020 to help equity investment companies to raise additional funds. For innovative SMEs, the UK Innovation Agency also provided a package of support of £ 750 million, including targeted grants and loans.

UK government has set up an innovation expert group composed of professionals to help formulate policies to promote innovation from the relevant experience of industry, public services, investment and research. The expert group advised the government on priority actions and early opportunities for innovation. Meanwhile on the basis of supporting traditional R & D intensive industries, UK focused on revolutionary new technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology and robotics and their application fields. For example, the new British space strategy will establish a special innovation plan to establish skills, technology and supply chain, so that Britain's cutting-edge innovation in robots and satellites would gain an important position of the world space economy and exploration.

Text and photo source: sohu.com

About China

Technological Innovation Brought Industrial Upgrading in Shenzhen

Shenzhen has very strong abilities of evolution and innovation. It transformed traditional industries through technological innovation and brought about industrial upgrading. From the earliest "three supplies and one compensation" of relying on labor force, to imitation innovation, and then to independent innovation,many Shenzhen companies devoloped in such a way. In recent years, Shenzhen municipal government has been actively introducing well-known universities to the city, using one-third of the annual financial scientific research funds for basic research, introducing a large number of advantageous scientific and technological resources. It has built 8 major scientific and technological infrastructure, 3 Nobel Prize Scientist Laboratories and 195 innovation carriers. 

Photo source: baidu.com

Huawei, from a local small company with starting funds of 20,000 RMB to the leader in global communication industry, has a global market share of 28%, and is one of the leaders in the six high-tech industrial chains of Shenzhen computer and peripheral manufacturing industrial and communication equipment manufacturing industrial chain.

Text source: Trigertrend

Baidu Cloud Increases Production Intelligence Level

In the era of digital economy, traditional manufacturing enterprises urgently need transformation. The value of artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly prominent. Baidu cloud has built a comprehensive industrial Internet platform on industrial intelligence. Intelligent quality inspection has also been upgraded to industrial visual intelligence platform, and applied to more than 10 industries and more than 100 scenes in 3C, steel and automobile manufacturing. 

Photo source: biying.com

Hengyi Petrochemical, one of the largest chemical fiber producers in the world, has changed its traditional quality inspection mode by applying Baidu cloud. It has achieved the intelligent detection, not only reduced the labor intensity of workers, but also greatly improved the efficiency of quality inspection, and has improved the level of production intelligence in all directions.

Text source: qq.com

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On 1 January, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.