Digital economy new growth engine for old industrial base

HARBIN, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- In Yanjiagang farm, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, all kinds of advanced machines are working on the rice fields silently and diligently, thanks to an entire coverage of 5G network in the farm.

A device uses its probe to extend into the field and conduct timely intelligent diagnoses of rice leaf age and disease identification. At the same time, it monitors the growth cycle of the rice through the 5G network and an HD AI camera.

Meanwhile, the automatic water level meter, with the help of sensors and IT technology, automatically irrigates the crops according to the level of soil moisture.

Yanjiagang farm is an epitome of Heilongjiang's attempts to build digital farms. This major grain producer in China, also an old industrial base, is actively embracing the digital transformation in recent years.

In a production management center of a production plant in Daqing Oilfield, operators immediately issued a well-flushing instruction after detecting abnormal data of a well 10 km away.

"In the past, we could only rely on experience when flushing wells. But now, through real-time parameters, we can know when and which well needs to be flushed. This has greatly improved the working efficiency," said Li Guoxin, a worker at Daqing Oilfield, one of China's largest oil production bases.

Cheng Jiecheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that as the global energy industry faces comprehensive and profound changes, Daqing Oilfield is vigorously promoting a three-step strategy of building a "digital, smart and intelligent oilfield," with the first step of digital oilfield now taking shape.

As the old industrial base of Heilongjiang is getting a digital makeover, the digital economy is becoming a new growth engine for the province.

"There are more than 100 projects currently under discussion concerning the development of digital economy in Heilongjiang, including the acceleration and expansion of 5G infrastructure," said Han Xuesong, head of the provincial industry and information technology department.

China has some 1.85 million 5G base stations and more than 450 million 5G end users, both accounting for over 60 percent of the global total, according to the 2022 World 5G Convention that kicked off Wednesday in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang.

Li Kai, vice head of China Academy of Northeast Revitalization, said at the conference that the 14th Five-Year Plan Period (2021-2025) is critical for the large-scale deployment of 5G networks in China. Northeast China, which is home to many old industrial bases, should further accelerate the digital transformation and upgrading.

"Now, Heilongjiang has given priority to the development of digital economy. This is not a 'choice' but a 'must' for the province," said Zhang Yazhong, director of the provincial development and reform commission.