Editor’s Note: As spring unfolds with vitality, Xuzhou—the “leading city” of northern Jiangsu—embarks on a new journey in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Anchored in its goal of becoming a strong pillar of high-quality development and a modern regional central city, Xuzhou is advancing the development of “four centers and one hub,” enhancing its urban capacity and regional influence. With the determination of a frontrunner, the city is driving coordinated, high-quality development across the Jiangsu-Anhui-Shandong-Henan border region. The Jiangsu Channel of People’s Daily Online launches a special series, “Advancing Forward: A New Chapter of Development,” covering industrial transformation, regional coordination, and improved livelihoods. Today’s feature focuses on industry.

At Xuzhou High-Tech Zone, the workshop of Xuzhou Guoji Atomic Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is unusually quiet. Inside, metal targets are bombarded by a 2,000-volt current in inert gas, breaking down into atomic-level powders. This two-year-old tech startup is turning laboratory “atomic magic” into industrial reality.

Meanwhile, at Xuzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, a giant machine—comparable to a three-story building—is being assembled and tested at XCMG Mining Machinery Co., Ltd. The 440-ton mining dump truck features tires with a diameter of three meters.

From traditional industries to future-oriented sectors, innovation has become the key driver for this historic industrial city to cultivate new quality productive forces. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Xuzhou achieved a major breakthrough by establishing a modern industrial system led by its “343” innovation industry clusters. The ten major innovation clusters now exceed RMB 850 billion in total scale, accounting for over 90% of the city’s industrial economy. Behind these impressive figures lies coordinated progress in strengthening existing industries, fostering new ones, and proactively.

Strengthening Foundations: Upgrading Competitive Industries

At Zhongneng Silicon Industry Co., Ltd., a production base of GCL Technology, cutting-edge technologies are in action. Silane gas undergoes transformation in a fluidized bed reactor, where silicon atoms are deposited layer by layer to form granular silicon roughly the size of mung beans.

“Compared to traditional methods, the comprehensive power consumption per kilogram of granular silicon has been reduced by more than 70%,” said Chen Hui, General Manager. “Costs have dropped to around RMB 24 per kilogram, compared to RMB 35 using conventional processes.”

Thanks to the silane fluidized bed method, “Made-in-Xuzhou” granular silicon has achieved globally leading carbon footprint levels and has been certified by the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME). “This gives photovoltaic modules using Xuzhou silicon a natural ‘green passport’ to the European market,” Chen added. GCL Technology’s annual granular silicon capacity has reached 480,000 tons, with one-third produced at this base.

Xuzhou has now built a complete photovoltaic industry chain, spanning silicon materials, wafers, cells, modules, energy storage, and power stations.

The upgrading of traditional industries has been widely explored across the city. Pizhou has developed a provincial-level specialty cluster in semiconductor materials and equipment, addressing key technological bottlenecks. Xuzhou Economic Development Zone has established a “2+3” modern industrial system, achieving breakthroughs in national-level platforms. Xuzhou High-Tech Zone focuses on safety and emergency industries, forming a nationally recognized cluster and strengthening the “China Safety Valley” brand.

In 2022, Xuzhou strategically introduced the “343” innovation industry cluster framework—three leading industries, four emerging industries, and three characteristic industries—transforming its once single-industry structure into a diversified system of ten major innovation industries.

“Previously, people associated Xuzhou mainly with XCMG and coal mining. Today, green energy, the digital economy, and food processing have all grown into trillion-yuan industries,” said Zhao Fei, Deputy Director of the Xuzhou Bureau of Industry and Information Technology. “Our industrial structure has evolved from ‘one dominant sector’ to coordinated development across ten innovation industries.”

Fostering Growth: Digital and Intelligent Transformation

As Xuzhou’s “No.1 industry,” construction machinery has achieved leading domestic sales across 17 product categories, with over 90% self-sufficiency across the industrial chain—driven by digital and intelligent transformation.

At XCMG Heavy Machinery’s smart factory, dozens of meters-long crane frames move automatically along the production line, while robotic arms perform welding operations. A crane chassis rolls off the line every 25 minutes.

“Robots now handle identification, preheating, welding, polishing, and cleaning—fully automated,” said workshop supervisor Huo Hao. “Tasks that once took skilled workers 10 to 15 days can now be completed within six hours, with higher consistency and quality.”

XCMG’s Hanyun Industrial Internet platform further enhances efficiency. At its global data monitoring center, tens of thousands of machines are tracked in real time. The system monitors power levels, locations, and operating conditions, automatically optimizing charging routes and improving equipment utilization and energy efficiency by over 5%.

This transformation is not driven by enterprises alone. Xuzhou has adopted a “five-in-one” model—government, enterprises, leading firms, platforms, and resources—to推进数字化转型. Over 2,800 companies have received free diagnostic services, with more than RMB 30 million in subsidies and over 3,300 transformation projects implemented.

To date, Xuzhou has three national-level smart factories, 80 provincial-level advanced smart factories, and a digital integration index of 69.3. It has also established 16 provincial-level industrial internet platforms and been selected as a national pilot city for digital transformation.

Looking Ahead: Expanding Future Industries

In a cleanroom at Jiangsu Zhongke Zhixin Integrated Technology Co., Ltd., technicians are performing micrometer-level “precision construction” on wafers.

“We’re essentially ‘building skyscrapers’ on chips,” said Huang Tao, Deputy General Manager. “Through advanced packaging technologies like wafer-level fan-out and 3D stacking, we integrate multiple chips in a compact space to enhance performance.”

Nearby, Guoji Atomic Manufacturing is producing ultra-fine metal powders using high-voltage discharge. “We can now stably produce particles below 10 nanometers, even approaching 5 nanometers,” said General Manager Yuan Wei. “This could become a key material for next-generation high-temperature alloys and aerospace coatings.”

Originally a lab project from Nanjing University, the company overcame commercialization challenges with support from Xuzhou High-Tech Zone, which invested RMB 20 million in “patient capital” to help build a mass production line.

To develop future industries, Xuzhou has outlined a “4+X” framework, focusing on embodied intelligence, deep-earth technologies, hydrogen energy, and biomanufacturing, while also exploring frontier fields such as aerospace information, virtual reality, and atomic-level manufacturing.

Currently, the city has gathered 331 future-industry-related enterprises, with 15 recognized as high-growth firms at the provincial level. In 2025, revenue from these industries reached RMB 24 billion, growing at 19%.

“Building on the ‘343’ clusters, we will continue to strengthen existing industries, expand emerging sectors, and cultivate future industries,” said Song Lewei, Party Secretary of Xuzhou. “During the 15th Five-Year Plan, Xuzhou will demonstrate innovation and leadership, achieving new breakthroughs in high-quality development.”