A robot assembles auto parts at a workshop in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province on Jan 30, 2023. [Photo/VCG]

Shandong, a major industrial province, is making every effort to cultivate new drivers in the digital era, promote the integration of the digital economy with the real economy, and gain a competitive edge in digital technologies.

A three-year action plan has been carried out in Shandong to promote the integration and application of digital technologies with various industries, as well as contribute to the recovery of consumption, digital transformation of enterprises, and job creation.

In recent years, industrial cities across Shandong have been promoting intelligent upgrading and digital transformation to foster new growth drivers and boost the province's manufacturing prowess.

Local cities have rolled out a series of strategic measures to upgrade manufacturing to make it more digital era-oriented, internet-connected, and intelligent.

"Thanks to digital upgrading, the production efficiency of our workshop has increased by 20 percent, while labor expenses were reduced by about 20 percent," said Cui Yuguo, manager of a Shandong-based auto parts manufacturer.

Shandong is also promoting the wide application of the industrial internet to help local enterprises to improve quality, reduce costs, increase efficiency, as well as promote green and safe development.

The industrial internet is a key infrastructure and new industrial ecosystem for the deep integration of new-generation information communication technology and the industrial economy, said industry experts.

COSMOPlat, an industrial internet platform developed by Haier Group based in Qingdao, Shandong, is designed to allow companies to customize products quickly and at scale by collecting and analyzing data from consumers, suppliers, and factories, while boosting productivity and cutting costs.