Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence during an inspection tour in Beijing, capital of China, March 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for efforts to deepen the integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, and accelerate the cultivation of new driving forces and new advantages of high-quality development.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Beijing on Wednesday.

During his inspection at an operation center of the city's high-level autopilot demonstration zone, Li urged strengthening support in setting standards and factor guarantees, so as to boost the development of the automobile industry and the construction of smart cities with the upgrading of the autopilot technology.

At the Yizhuang office area of Chinese tech giant Baidu, the premier stressed that it is necessary to give full play to the advantages of rich application scenarios in China, enhance institutional support, and create a more relaxed environment for the development of the artificial intelligence industry.

While visiting Naura Technology Group Co., Ltd., Li encouraged the company to further increase sci-tech investment, accelerate R&D on advanced process equipment, and better promote collaborative innovation across the whole industrial chain.

The premier also inspected the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence and called for achieving new breakthroughs with advanced resources and cooperation.

Li also presided over a symposium and noted that developing new quality productive forces is an intrinsic requirement and an important focus to promote high-quality development, urging efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and promote industrial innovation through sci-tech innovation to accelerate the development of a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone.

Noting that artificial intelligence is an important engine for developing new quality productive forces, he also called for achieving key breakthroughs in areas such as computing power, data and algorithms to let artificial intelligence better empower various industries.

At the symposium, the premier also stressed the need to actively promote inclusive and prudential supervision on the basis of maintaining the bottom line of safety.

Li expressed the hope that Beijing will give full play to its advantages, take the lead in the development of new quality productive forces, and play a leading role in demonstration. 

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits Naura Technology Group Co., Ltd. during an inspection tour in Beijing, capital of China, March 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)