China's major grain-producing province speeds up innovation drive

BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- In its pursuit of new growth impetus, China's major grain-producing province of Henan is reaping the benefits of innovation.

Technological innovation has become the primary driving force for Henan, and it is leading changes in the region's development momentum, structure and quality, Wang Kai, the governor of the central China province, said Thursday at a press conference.

Wang said the province has 13 state key laboratories, 172 national innovation platforms, and 12,000 tech firms.

In 2023, investments in Henan's high-tech manufacturing sector increased 22.6 percent year on year, 12 percentage points higher than the national average.

Strategic emerging industries such as advanced equipment, electronic information, and biomedicine have emerged as the major driver of industrial growth, and Henan-produced optical communication chips, sensors, superhard materials have seized a significant market share in the country, Wang said.

While Henan is strengthening efforts to promote innovation, Wang said the province continues to work hard to ensure food security, noting that grain production is a trump card that can never be lost.

To this end, Henan is focused on improving farmland quality, cultivating better seeds, promoting the use of agriculture machinery, and enhancing planting techniques, Wang said, predicting the region will be able to yield 70 million tonnes of grain in 2025, up from 68 million tonnes in 2022.

Currently, the province contributes a quarter of the country's wheat and produces the most oil and edible fungi. Its output of vegetables and poultry eggs rank second nationwide.