Zhang Ruimin, chairman of the board of directors and CEO of Haier Group, speaks at the Second World Internet Conference on Dec 17, 2015. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Internet Plus

As one of the buzzwords in China’s Internet industry, Internet Plus emerged as the idea behind what businesses, both new and old, have been doing to apply the Internet and other information technology to their industries.

After taking on the Internet industry for almost a year, the phrase continued to be the talk of town in Wuzhen, where the annual three-day World Internet Conference concluded on Dec 18. Officials, researchers, and business leaders referred to the term while mapping out the future for China’s Internet-related sectors.

One of the sub forums during the conference centered on Internet Plus. Haier Group CEO Zhang Ruimin, one of the best-known business executives in the country, explained how a traditional home appliance manufacturer such as Haier can transform into an Internet enterprise. Automaker Geely Group is also looking to human-computer interaction as a trend for modern car production, according to the company’s CEO Li Shufu.

The phrase came to the public attention after Premier Li Keqiang brought it about in the Government Work Report on March 5. Li proposed the “Internet Plus” as a strategy to restructure China’s economy and maintain growth momentum. The plan aims to integrate mobile Internet, cloud computing, big data and the Internet of Things with modern manufacturing.