The "15th Five-Year Plan" outlines emphasize all-around empowerment through digital and intelligent technologies, explicitly proposing to "seize the commanding heights of AI industrial application." Deep integration of artificial intelligence into manufacturing has become a crucial engine driving quality transformation, efficiency revolution, and power transformation in the sector. Recently, Dongguan held a press conference for the "Overall Plan for Building Dongguan into a Global Intelligent Manufacturing Center (2026–2030)" (referred to as the "Plan"). Grounded in the principle of "making manufacturing the core," the city is comprehensively advancing the high-end, intelligent, and green transformation of its manufacturing industry, striving to build a globally influential intelligent manufacturing hub.
During an exclusive interview, Zeng Jianpeng, Member of the Standing Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Dongguan, pointed out that from being the "world's factory" to becoming a "global intelligent manufacturing center," Dongguan is undergoing a profound reshaping of its industrial DNA. This represents a comprehensive transformation of its development logic—shifting from scale-driven to innovation-driven, from OEM manufacturing to brand leadership, and from passively embedding into global supply chains to actively controlling key segments of the industrial chain.
The transformation from the "world's factory" to a "global intelligent manufacturing center" signifies Dongguan's evolution from a "participant in global manufacturing" to an "exporter of global intelligent manufacturing rules and standards." This is reflected in three dimensions. First, a qualitative shift from factor-driven to innovation-driven development. In the past, Dongguan leveraged low-cost labor and land to form an OEM advantage, with its core competitiveness lying in manufacturing capabilities characterized by "scale + efficiency + cost." Today, Dongguan has established the nation's first city-level large model center for the manufacturing sector, with over ten thousand large-scale industrial enterprises implementing digital transformation. By deeply integrating its "8+8+4" industrial system with AI technology, the city aims to make AI a practical production tool that enterprises can use effectively, affordably, and efficiently.
Second, a transition from scale expansion to value enhancement. Historically, Dongguan's industries were characterized by a broad range and large volume, focusing on low-to-mid-end segments of the industrial chain, with profits primarily derived from processing and manufacturing. The "global intelligent manufacturing center" strategy emphasizes full-chain value control. Through major technological breakthroughs, the establishment of pilot-scale platforms, the creation of "AI + manufacturing" benchmark scenarios, and the cultivation of smart factories, Dongguan seeks to comprehensively enhance its control over the industrial chain, propelling the city from a "production workshop" to high-end segments involving "innovation sourcing, brand building, and standard-setting."
Third, a leap from passive supporting roles to active leadership. Previously, Dongguan often occupied passive supporting positions in the global division of labor, with its industrial development significantly impacted by fluctuations in the international market. Now, by constructing the "Ring Weie Mountain" scientific research circle and deepening integration with Shenzhen through the "Longfeng New District," Dongguan is proactively elevating its level of global openness and cooperation. The city is actively participating in the formulation of international standards for intelligent manufacturing and engaging in global high-end manufacturing competition through scenario innovation, technology export, and ecosystem building.
Dongguan is currently situated within three critical windows: the iterative advancement of AI technology, the restructuring of global supply chains, and the coordinated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. This presents a historic opportunity to fully build a global intelligent manufacturing center. The first is the "explosive window period" for AI technology iteration. Technologies such as large models, AI agents, and edge-side intelligence have matured intensively over the past two years, making intelligent transformation in manufacturing a necessity rather than an option. Dongguan was approved as a National AI Application Pilot-Scale Base in 2025, and the nation's first city-level large model center for manufacturing became operational. The year 2026 is pivotal for the large-scale industrial application and commercial transformation of accumulated technological foundations.
The second is the strategic opportunity period of global supply chain restructuring. Factors like geopolitics have accelerated the regionalization and nearshoring adjustments of global supply chains, providing external impetus for Dongguan's transition from an "OEM base" to a "highland for intelligent manufacturing." With the world's most complete consumer electronics industrial chain, Dongguan possesses inherent advantages in undertaking higher value-added segments during this restructuring.
The third is the deepening window period for coordinated development within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Greater Bay Area is transitioning from "physical superposition" to "chemical fusion," accelerating the construction of a "manufacturing-delivery-collaboration" system. The integrated development of the Shenzhen metropolitan area is entering a substantive advancement phase. Dongguan and Shenzhen will accelerate coordination through the "Ring Weie Mountain" scientific research circle and the integrated "Longfeng New District," engaging in collaborative efforts such as scenario co-construction, resource sharing, and achievement transformation to jointly build the core growth pole for intelligent manufacturing in the Greater Bay Area.
The "Plan" is not a patchwork of policies but a shift in development paradigm. Dongguan has clearly identified the core path of "AI + manufacturing" for all-domain empowerment, comprehensively promoting the application of artificial intelligence across the entire manufacturing process. The city aims to participate in global high-end manufacturing competition, anchoring goals such as global standard-setting and building a global brand matrix. Its strategic vision has ascended from "regional catch-up" to "global positioning."
The most prominent advantage for developing "AI + manufacturing" in Dongguan lies in its complete manufacturing ecosystem, which serves as an irreplaceable "testing ground" and "amplifier" for AI technology implementation. Dongguan covers over 80% of major industrial categories, hosts four national-level advanced manufacturing clusters, has more than 240,000 industrial enterprises, and ranks among the top three in China for the number of large-scale industrial enterprises. The city accounts for one-fifth of global smartphone production capacity, 85% of China's trendy toy production capacity, and one-tenth of AI server output. This means that any breakthrough in AI technology within any manufacturing field in Dongguan possesses the natural conditions for rapid large-scale replication and the formation of industrial explosive force.
Simultaneously, leveraging the National AI Application Pilot-Scale Base (Mobile Terminal Direction), Dongguan is building a full-stack, independently controllable application R&D and pilot-scale verification platform that integrates computing power, models, data, toolchains, and scenario validation services, achieving seamless connection from technology development to industrialization. This "scenario-driven technological innovation" model ensures that Dongguan's AI applications remain closely aligned with industrial needs, avoiding "technology idling."
Data is the "fuel" for AI to empower manufacturing, but challenges such as the difficulty of industrial data aggregation, insufficient willingness to share data, and deep-seated security concerns are widespread. Additionally, Dongguan faces shortcomings including insufficient supply of high-end talent, relatively weak capabilities in basic research and original innovation, and inadequate motivation for digital transformation among small and medium-sized enterprises, all of which require intensified efforts to address. Overall, innovation in Dongguan's manufacturing sector is primarily application-oriented. In "bottleneck" areas such as semiconductors, industrial software, and core sensors, its original innovation capabilities still lag behind cities like Beijing and Shanghai.
Moving forward, Dongguan will focus on three areas to further set a global "demonstration." First, engineering implementation. Creating replicable and scalable "benchmark scenario clusters" is the core of Dongguan's demonstration. The city will prioritize developing over 50 industrial vertical large models tailored to local manufacturing; building more than 200 "AI + manufacturing" benchmark application scenarios; and cultivating 50 advanced-level or higher smart factories. By deeply embedding AI into specific links such as product R&D, process optimization, quality control, and energy consumption management, a batch of Dongguan products and solutions will be formed to showcase to the world real cases where AI enhances production efficiency and creates new value.
Second, systematic empowerment. Building a new "platform + ecosystem" empowerment model is key. The crux of demonstration lies in enabling the vast number of small and medium-sized enterprises to afford and effectively use AI. Dongguan will support leading enterprises in opening their industrial internet platforms and AI capabilities, forming a collaborative mechanism where "large enterprises build platforms, and small enterprises use platforms," driving upstream and downstream enterprises to collaboratively improve in areas like process upgrading, quality management, and digital transformation. Relying on bases like the OPC Intelligent Manufacturing Service Base, the city will create innovation and entrepreneurship communities integrating shared office spaces, common technology facilities, and one-stop entrepreneurial services.
Third, international leadership. A true "global model" must possess international discourse power and participate in setting the rules for global intelligent manufacturing. Dongguan will support advantageous industries in deploying overseas R&D and marketing networks, promote the "Dongguan Quality Products" brand going global, and plans to lead or participate in formulating over 20 international standards in the field of intelligent manufacturing. By elevating the technical specifications, data protocols, and security guidelines formed from its "AI + manufacturing" practices into international standards, Dongguan aims to transform from a "follower" to a "rule-maker."
Deep coordination with Shenzhen is an inevitable choice for Dongguan in building a global intelligent manufacturing center and an inherent requirement for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to construct a world-class innovative industrial cluster. Creating the "Longfeng New District" (connecting towns like Fenggang and Tangxia with Shenzhen's Longgang and Longhua) and the "Ring Weie Mountain" scientific research circle (linking Songshan Lake Science City with Shenzhen's Guangming Science City) marks a new stage in Dongguan-Shenzhen cooperation. This stage moves beyond past industrial gradient transfer and infrastructure connectivity into an "innovation community" and "functionally complementary metropolitan area."
However, risks of "siphoning" and "supporting roles" always exist in regional coordination. To avoid this trap, Dongguan must strategically achieve "active embedding" rather than "passive acceptance." Specifically, it needs to build differentiated advantages in three aspects: positioning, function, and ecology.
Regarding positioning differentiation, transitioning from an "industrial承接区" to a "main阵地 for transformation" and strengthening the core capability of industrialization from "1 to 100." Dongguan's greatest advantage lies in its engineering, large-scale manufacturing, and rapid market response capabilities. To avoid being merely a supporting player, it must elevate this manufacturing capability into "intelligent manufacturing conversion capability." For instance, creating a full-chain accelerator encompassing "concept verification – pilot-scale verification – scenario application – batch production." The "Ring Weie Mountain" scientific research circle focuses on basic research outputs like papers, patents, and laboratory samples in fields such as mathematical sciences, physical sciences, and life sciences. Dongguan's task is to construct the seamlessly connected next link.
Regarding function differentiation, evolving from a "production workshop" to a "system integration center" and "hardware innovation center," occupying high-end segments of the value chain. Supporting roles often entail undertaking standardized, modular production segments. To become a center, it is essential to master capabilities in system integration, standard-setting, and core hardware innovation. Dongguan should focus on the integrated innovation of "AI + hardware" to build terminal brands. Leveraging its accumulated advantages in precision manufacturing and supply chain within the consumer electronics field, the city should prioritize breakthroughs in new intelligent terminals like AI phones, AI glasses, and AI companion toys. By combining with Shenzhen's strengths in chips, operating systems, and industrial design, with Dongguan leading hardware definition, engineering implementation, and mass production manufacturing, the leap from "Dongguan制造" to "Dongguan智创" can be realized.
Regarding ecological differentiation, shifting from "factor流动" to "ecological co-construction," building an innovation community based on common interests. The key to avoiding a hierarchical "center – supporting" relationship lies in constructing a flat, networked, mutually beneficial, and symbiotic ecosystem. Within the "Ring Weie Mountain" scientific research circle, Shenzhen possesses resources like the "Pengcheng Cloud Brain" and supercomputing centers, while Dongguan has facilities such as the spallation neutron source and advanced attosecond laser. Dongguan will actively promote the open sharing of these major scientific facilities with research institutions and enterprises from both cities, attracting scientists and engineers from Shenzhen to conduct experiments in Dongguan, making the city an indispensable support node in specific basic research fields.
Dongguan will further promote the "dual-city, dual-habitat" model for innovation factors. Through institutional innovation, the city will explore flexible and diverse cooperation models, encouraging enterprises to establish R&D and manufacturing branches in both cities. This will allow factors like talent, technology, capital, and data to flow freely and be optimally allocated according to the needs of the innovation chain. Establishing cross-regional factor-sharing mechanisms will enable Dongguan enterprises to also access high-end resources from Shenzhen, such as industrial software trials, process simulation, inspection and testing, and computing power services. Particularly in emerging fields like artificial intelligence and low-altitude economy, Dongguan and Shenzhen can jointly form industrial alliances, collaboratively cultivate supply chains, formulate technical standards, and explore overseas markets. Through this "group出海" approach, the entire region's discourse power in the global industrial division of labor can be enhanced, building a Dongguan-Shenzhen high-end manufacturing collaboration system with international competitiveness.
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