This aerial photo taken on July 20, 2023 shows a vehicle distribution center of Chang'an Auto in Jiangbei District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. In recent years, Chongqing Municipality has accelerated the building of new energy vehicle (NEV) industrial clusters. At present, production lines of NEV industry in Chongqing are operating at full swing to meet the domestic and international market demand. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Monday held a new round of meetings with the country's major manufacturing companies, learning about the development of new-energy vehicles (NEVs), lithium batteries, photovoltaic products, and the biomedicine and new materials industries, as part of the move to further boost the sector's high-quality development, the ministry said on Tuesday.

MIIT Minister Jin Zhuanglong hosted the meeting, attended by representatives from the GAC Group, CATL, Trina Solar Co, Sany Group, Juhua Group and seven other enterprises.

This was MIIT's second round of meetings for such enterprises, after the first was held on July 6. The ministry also held a meeting for specialized and sophisticated enterprises that produce new and unique products on July 7, according to media reports. 

During the meeting, representatives introduced companies' operation status and market supply and demand balances. They also exchanged information on industry trends and business opportunities and challenges, and put forward advice to boost industries and stable economic growth.

Jin collected feedback and pledged that the MIIT will further improve communication with enterprises, and take more measures to improve the business environment in order to promote investment and innovation.

Jin emphasized that to make full use of support policies and develop new pillar industries, the  manufacturing companies should make technological and talent preparations, eyeing international frontiers. Major companies should use the advantage of their leading industry positions, in order to facilitate standard-making. 

China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) remained in contraction territory at 49.3 in July, up 0.3 points from June, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on July 31.

Total foreign trade from January to July hit 23.55 trillion yuan ($3.23 trillion), up 0.4 percent year-on-year, data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed on August 8. 

Exports of passenger NEVs, lithium batteries and solar panels jumped by 61.6 percent year-on-year in the first half, lifting overall export growth by 1.8 percentage points, the GAC said on July 13.