China to foster more unicorn enterprises: official

More measures will be rolled out to cultivate more unicorn enterprises in China, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Wang Jiangping said at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.

Unicorn enterprises, as representatives of the new economy, business forms, and models, have emerged as a driving force behind the advancement of new quality productive forces, Wang said. And the number of unicorn enterprises in China has steadily increased in recent years, with their comprehensive capabilities significantly strengthened, leading to the emergence of numerous super unicorn enterprises, he said.

"Unicorn enterprises in sectors including high-end manufacturing, consumption, retail, high and new technology account for over 78 percent of the total. Among those that newly emerged last year, more than half are from hard and core technology fields of new energy, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors," Wang said.

"In the next step, our ministry will establish a unified national system to cultivate unicorn enterprises with cooperation between the ministry and provinces, supporting unicorn enterprises in technological innovation, encouraging and guiding them to pursue technological breakthroughs aligned with the country's strategic needs and acquire more unique know-hows. Efforts will be made to boost financial support for unicorn enterprises, leveraging industrial and financial cooperation platforms to assist their listing, merging, and reorganization. Forward-looking plans will also be made for future industries, focusing on new areas and arenas such as atomic-class manufacturing, brain-computer interface (BCI), and 6G, to promote the growth and expansion of unicorn enterprises. Efforts will be made to integrate unicorn enterprises into the global innovation network and carry out innovation cooperation," he said.

In response to issues such as insufficient orders reported by certain enterprises, Wang said in the fourth quarter, the ministry will collaborate with relevant departments to introduce another set of measures aimed at boosting consumption and expanding domestic demand, assisting enterprises in expanding their markets and unleashing vitality.

"We will focus on leveraging the impact of investment to carry out technology transformation and upgrades, as well as equipment upgrading. We will organize a series of actions centered around expanding consumption, optimizing the supply and promoting upgrades, to advance application scenarios to foster the growth and expansion of new high-quality productive forces, such as the low-altitude economy and smart manufacturing," Wang said.

China to foster more unicorn enterprises: official

A delegation of 40 students and teachers from seven Chinese mainland universities on Thursday wrapped up their nine-day visit to Taiwan. They set off for Taiwan on Nov. 27 and visited universities, historical sites, scenic spots, as well as sports, sci-tech and cultural venues on the island, widely engaging with locals throughout the tour.

The delegation made the tour at the invitation of the Taiwan-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation.

"The young people from both sides of the Strait share the same root, and we are having a harmonious communication this time. We also welcome young people from Taiwan to visit the mainland for exchange," Cao Yibo, a student from Peking University, told reporters during the tour.

The delegation included table tennis Olympic champion Ma Long who studies at Beijing Sport University, and air rifle Olympic champion Yang Qian of Tsinghua University.

"In the future, I would like to visit Taiwan again. I did not expect that so many compatriots in Taiwan would come to welcome and us and pay so much attention to our exchange tour," Ma said.

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, saw off the delegation at the airport on Thursday, and said the mainland students and teachers had received Taiwan residents' heartfelt welcome wherever they went.

"The farewell dinner party was held yesterday evening, when almost all students from the mainland shared their feelings. What moved me so much is that every one of them thanked people here, because the latter sincerely and warmly welcomed them wherever they went during the nine-day tour. They told me that when they go back, they will tell their relatives and friends that people in Taiwan are kind, hospitable and warm. I believe that is the most important purpose of the exchange across the Strait," he said.

Calling youth exchanges a foundation of cross-Strait relations in the future, Hsiao said the foundation will carry on and continue to promote such exchanges across the Strait.

This is the second delegation of mainland teachers and students visiting Taiwan at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, following the visit by a first delegation in July last year.

Delegation of mainland university students, teachers wraps up Taiwan visit