The economic performance of China's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) was on a generally steady, sound and upward trajectory in 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said Tuesday.
In 2024, the economic performance of SMEs maintained overall stability with steady progress, with the added value of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises above the designated size increasing by 6.9 percent year on year, 2.8 percentage points higher than that of large enterprises, said Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Zhang Yunming at a press conference in Beijing.
Industrial enterprises above designated size are those with annual revenue from principal business reaching or over 20 million yuan.
In terms of fostering innovation-driven enterprises, China has promoted the development of SMEs that apply special, sophisticated technologies to produce unique and novel products, and fostered a total of 14,600 "little giant" enterprises, with the number of national science and technology enterprises exceeding 600,000, Zhang said.
In the next step, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will intensify efforts to promote the high-quality development of SMEs, he added.
"In 2025, [China will] further support over 30 pilot cities and recognize additional 100 distinctive industrial clusters of SMEs. Mechanisms will be rolled out to promote the development of SMEs that use specialized and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products. [We will] conduct studies on setting up the second phase of national development fund for SMEs, actively foster public service platforms (bases) for SMEs to provide them with more high-quality and efficient services, thereby promoting the development of these SMEs in this regard," he said.
Economic performance of China's SMEs steadily picks up in 2024
Thailand attaches great importance to the development of relations with China, visiting Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Thursday, pledging her country's continued efforts to enhance mutual support with China and to work hand in hand with China to advance the bilateral relationship into a next "Golden 50 Years" .
In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Beijing, Paetongtarn emphasized Thailand's strong commitment to fostering its relationship with China and highlighted the deep friendship between the two countries, as China and Thailand will mark in 2025 the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, and also the "Golden 50 Years of China-Thailand Friendship" since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
"Thailand and China enjoy similar cultures. The two countries are very agreeable in communication, cooperation and understanding of each other's culture. Thailand has always supported China's development, just as China has supported Thailand's development. This spirit of mutual support is an important foundation for sustained development of our bilateral relationship in the future," said Paetongtarn.
Paetongtarn also discussed the latest progress on the China-Thailand High-Speed Railway (HSR). She noted that the railway will greatly facilitate trade among China, Thailand, and Laos. With the continuous improvement and upgrading of the railway project, exchanges and cooperation between the peoples of China and Thailand will become even more frequent.
"On Tuesday, the Thai Cabinet approved the resolution on construction of the Korat-Nong Khai high-speed rail, as part of the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed rail, or the second phase of the China-Thailand High-Speed Railway (HSR). The construction of this railway will greatly facilitate trade among China, Thailand, and Laos. As a result, the connections between Thailand and China at all levels will also become closer, and exchanges and cooperation between the peoples of our two countries will become more frequent. In the near future, I believe that people can take train for travel between the two countries more easily," she said. Paetongtarn noted that combating telecom fraud, gambling, and transnational crime is one of the key topics of her visit. As the Thai prime minister, Paetongtarn said she focuses on ensuring Thailand's security and maintaining regular communication with the country's police, military, and other departments.
"I have been in regular communication with various departments of the Thai police to ensure the safety of every tourist who visits Thailand. Cybercrime is a global issue because it spreads rapidly and can cause significant damage in a short period of time. This requires cooperation among all nations. Thailand will work closely with China to address these issues, and I believe we will see significant improvements," said Paetongtarn.
Paetongtarn arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a four-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. On Friday evening, she attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games alongside Thai government officials in Harbin City of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
Thai prime minister pledges continued efforts to deepen friendship, cooperation with China
