China will deepen its smart factory network during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), building on a four-tier system that has already expanded intelligent manufacturing across the country.

The network currently includes more than 35,000 Basic-level, 8,200 Advanced-level and 500 Excellence-level smart factories, alongside 15 Leading Smart Factory cultivation projects. The system is designed to guide manufacturers from digitalisation and connectivity towards increasingly automated and intelligent production.

Building on this foundation, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will promote technological transformation and further integrate artificial intelligence into advanced manufacturing. AI capabilities are being incorporated into assessments for Excellence and Leading factories, with standards set to become more demanding over time.

Future development will also focus on industrial foundation models, sector-specific AI models and high-quality industrial datasets, while robots, machine tools and industrial control systems are expected to evolve towards more autonomous functions. Together, these efforts will support the intelligent, green and integrated upgrading of traditional industries during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.