The tapered and futuristic shape of a new Fuxing bullet train, sporting special designs for the Beijing 2022. The train was developed by CRRC Changchun. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

The equipment manufacturing industry in Jilin province – which is one of China's old industrial bases – is moving into top gear, after having thrived in recent years.

In 2021, the added value of the sector in the province – located in Northeast China – increased by 15.6 percent year-on-year, while the added value of the high-tech manufacturing industry increased by 21.6 percent.

The continued rise of national automotive brands, in particular, is showcasing the vigorous development of Jilin's auto sector, which is one of the province's pillar industries.

Over the past four years, the sales volume of Hongqi cars has increased 63 times. In 2021, sales topped 300,000 units, a year-on-year increase of more than 50 percent, a growth rate 10 times the industry average.

In FAW Group's Hongqi Fanrong or "prosperity" plant, the Hongqi E-QM5 car model – one of the latest new energy vehicles – recently rolled off the production line.

Industrial robots are on standby, waiting to swing into action, at the new J7 intelligent vehicles factory being operated by FAW Jiefang. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Giant commercial truck maker FAW Jiefang's J7 intelligent vehicles factory has officially started operating, after a launch ceremony held last year. Relying on the latest digital technologies – such as the industrial internet and big data – the smart factory is said to have pioneered unmanned and intelligent tire assembly technology in the global commercial vehicles industry.

With the strong support of Jilin province, in 2021 FAW's total R&D expenditure hit 21.42 billion yuan ($3.21 billion), a year-on-year increase of 3.9 percent, accounting for 3 percent of revenue.

The company has made 63 breakthroughs in key core technologies and completed 4,757 patent applications.