Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 5 —— Li Xingqian, Director of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, recently said that, in combination with China's export performance in the first quarter, three areas—complete equipment, intelligent products, and low-carbon and energy-saving products—have shown abundant innovative vitality and potential for sustained growth. China's export products are moving towards a development path characterized by specialization, refinement, uniqueness, and innovation.

Li Xingqian noted that the export demand for intelligent products is increasing, with a focus on niche markets. Intelligent products such as robots are highly popular among consumers. For example, in the home sector, robotic vacuum cleaners, pool-cleaning robots, and automatic lawn mowers are equipped with "black technology." In the field of industrial robots, China is also an important exporter and application market. According to statistics from the International Federation of Robotics, China's robot installation volume grew at an average annual rate of 13% from 2017 to 2022. Customs data shows that China's industrial robot exports increased by 86.4% in 2023.

He also said that China has a solid foundation for the export of complete equipment. Industries such as automobiles and equipment manufacturing in China have integrated the innovative achievements of long and full industrial chains. If some components or functional systems are taken out separately, they are full of creativity and technological appeal. For example, the in-car voice system in automobiles is rapidly advancing towards the AI field; forklifts commonly used in factories and warehousing logistics are also gradually being upgraded towards electrification and unmanned operation.

Speaking of the popularity of low-carbon and energy-saving products, Li Xingqian gave examples: "Biodegradable material-made eco-friendly plates and straws have become mainstream in the market; biodegradable tableware made from sugarcane pulp is a hot export item; and new textile fabrics that can be dyed without water are more water- and energy-efficient in the dyeing process, with no wastewater discharge..."

"It is also important to note that traditional labor-intensive products still have a competitive edge," Li Xingqian said. In the first quarter, China's exports of labor-intensive products grew by 9.1%, with textile and apparel exports up by 5.4%, plastic products exports up by 14%, and furniture and its components exports up by 23.5%. Currently, "Made in China" is evolving towards "Created in China," and new export growth points will continue to emerge.