Old industrial base sprints for revitalization through innovation

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 1, 2024 shows the intelligent devices at the "Unmanned Farm" in Changchun's national agricultural high-tech industry demonstration zone in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province. [Xinhua/Li He]

CHANGCHUN -- On a sweltering July afternoon in Changchun, the capital of Jilin Province -- one of China's agricultural heartlands, a quiet revolution was unfolding, reshaping the age-old image of Chinese farmers toiling under the scorching sun.

Across the expansive plain, verdant corn fields stretched to the horizon, with tassels signaling the time for field management. Yet, not a single farmer was in sight.

Suddenly, a drone with a wingspan exceeding a meter appeared above the cornfield, trailing a fine mist of pesticide as it soared into the distance. The fields were dotted with sophisticated equipment, silently collecting, analyzing, and storing data on soil moisture, pest infestations, crop growth, and potential hazards.

This is the "Unmanned Farm" in Changchun's national agricultural high-tech industry demonstration zone. Within this project area, the entire cultivation process -- from plowing and sowing to management and harvesting -- was orchestrated by a fleet of autonomous agricultural machines guided by the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.

"This is the future of agriculture in China, and our goal is to make it a reality for all farms as soon as possible," Yu Rui, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) team overseeing the project, said, standing in front of a huge monitoring screen.

Jilin, along with Liaoning and Heilongjiang, is known as Dongbei, or the Northeast. This region is China's "eldest son" due to its significant industrial and economic contributions in the early decades following the founding of New China in 1949. Today, the Northeast continues to play a pivotal role in safeguarding national security in terms of defense, food, ecology, energy, and industry.

Amid a key national strategy to fully revitalize the Northeast, Jilin has prioritized the development of modern large-scale agriculture, leveraging its vast plain landscape, fertile black soil, and--more importantly--science and technology.

At the Unmanned Farm, Yu and his colleagues are testing innovative circular agro-methods to promote resilient and sustainable agricultural systems. These methods, along with others developed by universities and research institutes nationwide, are showcased in a designated 500-mu (approximately 33.3 hectares) area within the demonstration zone.

"We regularly invite farmers to visit this 'exhibition hall' for new techniques and superior seeds. They can then decide which seeds and techniques to implement in their farms," explained Cai Hongguang, deputy head of the demonstration zone's management committee.

In 2023, the province ranked fourth nationwide in grain production, while maintaining the highest per unit area yield among major grain-producing provinces in China.

High above the farmland, "Jilin-1" satellites operated by Chuangchun-based Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. -- China's first commercial remote-sensing satellite firm -- have been collecting crucial data for sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, and environmental monitoring. Currently, 108 "Jilin-1" satellites orbit the Earth.

This technological prowess contrasts sharply with the region's image as an old-fashioned heavy-industry base. In the 1950s, several key industries, such as automobile manufacturing and the petrochemical industry, were established in Jilin, one of China's three earliest industrial bases. Among these was the lesser-known optical industry.

Changchun is home to the country's first optical research institute: the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CIOMP) of the CAS, established in 1958. Consequently, China's first optical glass and ruby laser were produced in the city.

Today, Changchun's industry of optoelectronics, an emerging field that consists of applying electronic devices to sourcing, detection and control of light, is thriving, with leading manufacturers of remote sensing satellites, optical chips, image sensors and lasers, among other devices.

In 2023, the city's optoelectronic information industry achieved a total output value of 75 billion yuan (10.51 billion U.S. dollars), representing a year-on-year growth of 10.6 percent.

"Compared to regions like Shanghai, our advantage in the optoelectronic industry lies in the solid technical foundation supported by institutions like the CIOMP and Jilin University," noted Dong Zhe from Guangke Technology, a Changchun-based wireless optical communication product provider.

Changchun boasts impressive scientific and technological educational resources, hosting 11 national key laboratories, 41 higher education institutions, and 83 scientific research institutions. Additionally, the city is home to 2,500 national-level high-tech enterprises.

As strategic emerging industries flourish in Jilin, traditional manufacturing enterprises are keeping pace through constant upgrades.

Jilin Chemical Fiber Group Co Ltd, a state-owned company in Jilin City, was established in 1959 with a simple yet challenging goal: meeting Chinese people's clothing needs.

Sixty-five years later, it has evolved from a traditional manufacturer of rayon and acrylic fibers into China's largest carbon fiber producer. Carbon fiber, dubbed the "king of new materials" for its exceptional properties, is widely used in automobile, wind power equipment, and aircraft industries.

"It took us over a decade to overcome foreign technological barriers and achieve independent, large-scale carbon fiber production," reflected Zhuang Xiaodong, the company's deputy general manager. "Despite all the hardships, this is a journey that an enterprise like ours must undertake for survival."

As China renewed its call for promoting coordinated regional development at a key Party leadership plenum held in July, the full revitalization of the Northeast has been once again highlighted in the country's broader picture of further reform.

"The government will continue formulating better policies that foster and improve the innovation ecosystem, attracting more talent and helping boost the local application of innovation," said Yu Baisheng, who oversees Changchun's science and technology bureau. 

This combo photo taken on Aug. 1, 2024 shows the intelligent devices at the "Unmanned Farm" in Changchun's national agricultural high-tech industry demonstration zone in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province. [Xinhua/Li He]

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 1, 2024 shows the "Unmanned Farm" in Changchun's national agricultural high-tech industry demonstration zone in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province. [Xinhua/Li He]