China's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are seeking to become more digitalized in a bid to minimize the impact of COVID-19.

Industrial robots work on the automatic production line in an elevator manufacturing company in Xinhyu, Jiangxi province. (Photo/People's Daily)

China's SMEs contribute more than 50 percent of the country's tax income, 60 percent of GDP, 70 percent of technological innovation and 80 percent of urban employment, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

With small and medium-sized enterprises seriously affected by the epidemic, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), in collaboration with a total of 145 enterprises, launched an online drive to help SMEs transform digitally in order to overcome their current difficulties.

"At present, there are some problems and challenges in the digital transformation of many enterprises, especially SMEs," said Wu Hao, director of the NDRC’s high-tech department, suggesting that support for the intelligent transformation of enterprises should be increased, and the deep integration of artificial intelligence and the real economy should be promoted.

"The epidemic has made SMEs realize the importance of digital transformation. We also hope to launch new businesses, new management and new platforms together with Chinese enterprises in transformation through cloud services,” according to Shen Chongfeng, president of Kingdee, a software company in China.