The 2nd future oriented: VDMA Industry Conference was held in Zizhu

High-Tech Park in Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Minhang on June 4, 2024. Mr. Shi Mingde, the former Chinese Ambassador to Germany and the President of China-Germany Friendship Association, Mr. Lu Yongsheng, the Acting Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai, Mr. Zhao Liang, the Standing Committee Member and Deputy Governor of Minhang District, Ms. Ke Diya, the Chief Representative of VDMA Beijing and Mr. Liu Zhixian, the Chief Representative of VDMA Shanghai and the executive vice general manager Xia Guang attended the conference. More than 400 experts, corporate executives and technical personnel from the global manufacturing industry gathered together to explore the application and development of artificial intelligence in the manufacturing industry.

Artificial Intelligence Helps Industrial Transformation and Upgrading

The conference was chaired by Mr. Liu Zhixian, the chief representative of VDMA Shanghai. He introduced that “the 2nd future oriented: VDMA Industry Conference is a platform to promote mechanical engineering solutions for future production in China. Every year, we carefully select a theme that meets the current needs of the manufacturing industry. This year, we have decided to focus on artificial intelligence and its impact on the production sector”

Mr. Zhao Liang, the member of the Standing Committee and Deputy Governor of Minhang District, warmly welcomed the guests. He said that this conference is a grand event for VDMA and Minhang District to deepen cooperation and seek common development. Minhang District has a solid and strong industrial foundation, which is not only a hot spot for foreign investment but also a fertile ground for high-quality development of foreign trade. He hopes that more outstanding German funded enterprises can know more about Minhang and choose it as the investment place.

Ms. Ren Man, the Investment Director of Zizhu High-Tech Park, introduced the construction and development of Zizhu. As a pearl in the "High-Tech Manufacturing Belt in South Shanghai", Zizhu enjoys a superior geographical location with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, East China Normal University and numerous globally renowned enterprises. It is also an important carrier area for Shanghai to build a globally influential science and technology innovation center, playing a pioneering role in the field of science and technology innovation.

Mr. Lu Yongsheng, the Acting Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai, stated in his speech that this conference is a deep practice for both sides to explore economic and trade cooperation as well as technological upgrading. He wished the conference a complete success.

Mr. Shi Mingde, the former Chinese Ambassador to Germany and the President of China - Germany Friendship Association, shared the latest developments in political and economic exchanges between China and Germany, emphasizing the important role of artificial intelligence in promoting industrial transformation and expressing expectations and support for this conference.

Dr. Bai Lingjun, the general manager of Suzhou Silk Road Manufacturing Technology Service Co., Ltd., shared the practical application and cases of artificial intelligence technology in the industrial field.

In the manufacturing field, the application of artificial intelligence technology is gradually changing the traditional production mode. Mr. Gu Han, the general manager of Microsoft China Ecological Partner Business Unit in East China, shared a keynote speech on "Microsoft AI Capability Insight and Application" and looked forward to the prospect of empowering the manufacturing industry with artificial intelligence technology to help enterprises improve production efficiency and quality.

Dr. Guo Xin, the Senior Director of Business Development for the Digital Manufacturing Department of Siemens Digital Industrial Software Company, interpreted the connotation of "Software Defined Engineering Design – Non standard Automation Equipment" through the application of artificial intelligence technology in Siemens production.

Mr. Florian Weihard, the Chief Technology Officer of Ruhlamat Automation Technology (Suzhou) Company, explained how to achieve digitalization in factory automation design through software defined engineering, and demonstrated the application effect of software in factory automation design through practical cases.

Mr. Li Shiqi, the Senior Architecture Manager of Intel (China) Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech on "Software Defined Industrial Automation Systems", introducing how to upgrade and optimize industrial automation systems through software definition. He emphasized that software defined industrial automation systems will be an important trend in the future manufacturing industry.

Dr. Zhang Yu, the vice technology president of Estun Automation Co., Ltd., gave a keynote speech on "AI Big Models Leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution". He deeply analyzed the role of AI big models in promoting the fourth industrial revolution, shared Estun's research results and application practices in AI big models and provided valuable case references.

The subsequent roundtable discussion session pushed the atmosphere of the meeting to a new climax. The attending guests had in-depth exchanges and discussions on the opportunities and challenges faced by artificial intelligence technology in the process of transformation and upgrading, and analyzed the current situation of global AI regulation and the importance of establishing a sound regulatory system. Everyone agrees that the new technology of artificial intelligence, as a strategic technology leading the technological and industrial revolutions, is currently the focus of global technological innovation. Both China and Germany, as manufacturing giants, have broad prospects and strong potential for cooperation.

Deepening Cooperation and Strengthening Consensus

It is worth mentioning that the convening of this meeting coincides with the recent summit between the heads of China and Germany, which reached a consensus on deepening economic and trade cooperation and strengthening technological exchanges. The organization of this conference by VDMA is a positive response and concrete practice to this consensus, injecting new vitality into the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. As the largest industrial association in Germany and even Europe, as well as a representative organization of the German manufacturing industry, VDMA Association is composed of 35 industry associations with over 3600 member companies, leading the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry.

At the same time, Zizhu has always positioned itself as a High-Tech Park for global strategic emerging and high-end industry, attracting numerous multinational R&D Headquarters and high-end intelligent manufacturing enterprises. Europe is one of the key investment promotion area for Zizhu High-Tech Park. Germany has many excellent well-known enterprises and hidden champion enterprises, especially in the high-end machinery and equipment manufacturing industry. At present, among the 7399 enterprises in Zizhu, there are 507 foreign-funded enterprises. Zizhu has accumulatively attracted a total foreign investment of 9.44 billion US dollars, with a registered capital of 7.04 billion US dollars and contracted foreign investment of 6.198 billion US dollars. At the same time, Zizhu has formed an industry-university-research cluster with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and East China Normal University. It has abundant resources such as talent, intelligence, scientific research, faculty and industry, laying a solid foundation for building a positive cycle of high-end manufacturing, creating greater value and providing more employment opportunities for society. Zizhu High-Tech Park hopes to attract more German and European enterprises to pay attention to and choose Zizhu through this cooperation with VDMA Association and seek common development.

At the conference, multiple experts, scholars and corporate executives shared the latest research results and practical experience of the application of artificial intelligence in the manufacturing industry, confirming that artificial intelligence is an important force in promoting the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry, and will lead the global manufacturing industry towards intelligent and digital development. With the continuous development and improvement of AI technology in the future, it will have broader application prospects in the manufacturing industry.

The VDMA Industry Conference is an important opportunity for Zizhu to focus on intelligent manufacturing industry and develop new quality productivity. It is also a powerful manifestation of Minhang District's commitment to the strategy of "developing manufacturing and service industry". This conference not only provides new ideas and solutions for the application and development of artificial intelligence in the manufacturing industry, but also offers new opportunities and platforms for economic and trade cooperation and technological exchanges between China and Germany. This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany, as well as the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. We believe that with the joint efforts of both sides, the mutually beneficial cooperation between Chinese and German enterprises will further promote bilateral trade growth, accelerate technological innovation and industrial upgrading, and provide strong impetus for the sustainable development of the two countries' economies.