Photo: Xinhua

Chinese Premier Li Qiang paid inspection visits to several private tech startups in Beijing on Wednesday, during which he called for companies to come up with more self-developed core technologies. He also pledged to offer more government support for research and development (R&D), China Central Television reported on Thursday.

More efforts need to be made to explore new fields and tracks for development and create new drivers and advantages for development, so as to inject strong impetus into the overall improvement of economic operation, Li said while inspecting local companies.

When visiting Galaxy Space, a local satellite internet solution provider and manufacturer, Li noted the importance for companies to aim for the advanced international level, while pledging to give relevant industry players more support for innovation in key technologies and core components. He said companies should also reduce manufacturing costs and increase market application and promotion.

During his tour at Beijing HyperStrong Technology, an energy storage system integrator and system service provider, Li said that the government will further provide guideline and policy support in pushing for progress in technology advancement.

Li also inspected Beijing Horizon Robotics Technology R&D Co, which makes chips for vehicles. Li said intelligent connected vehicles that integrate multiple functions and fulfil various needs will be a major area for future development.

Companies should accelerate the development of key core technologies such as chip R&D and manufacturing, while putting a focus on stabilizing the industrial chain and supply chain, Li said.

Companies are also urged to create more of their own products and technologies in order to make greater breakthroughs in industry development, he stressed. 

During a meeting with Beijing government officials and local companies on Wednesday, Li expressed full recognition of the practices the city has adopted in fostering local startups, noting that such firms have high growth potential and represent the direction of China's economic transformation and upgrading.

Enterprises are the main body of scientific and technological innovation, Li said, calling on enterprises, especially technological ones, to take innovation as their mission, create more "unique skills" and "hard-core technologies," and make their contribution to the nation's realization of high-level self-reliance and self-advancement in the technology sector.

Moreover, governments at all levels should act upon the actual needs of enterprises by creating a better environment and innovation ecology for their development, the premier said.

Beijing has become one of the world's leading cities in terms of fostering "unicorns" - tech startups that reach a valuation of $1 billion - partly thanks to government support.

In 2021, Beijing had a total of 92 unicorn companies, with a cumulative valuation of more than three trillion yuan, ranking first in the country and second in the world, according to media reports.

The main areas for the companies were artificial intelligence, software services and aerospace.