'Kunpeng industry' and aeronautics helping modernize local development

Chengdu is making strides in building an open and modern industrial system, which covers electronic information, aerospace and biopharmaceuticals, as part of the city's efforts to inject momentum into the development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.

Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone welcomed high-tech innovative company－Sichuan Huakun Zhenyu Intelligent Technology－in early July.

Huakun Zhenyu was founded by Sichuan Changhong Electric Holding Group and Chengdu Hi-Tech Investment Group. The company will focus on the design, production, sales and maintenance of computer servers, personal computers and machine-vision products, which are all equipped with Kunpeng processors. These are a series of server microprocessors designed by Chinese telecom company Huawei, which are geared toward high-threaded or high-throughput applications.

"We will give priority to the layout of Kunpeng-related hardware manufacturing, including servers, computer terminals and storage devices, and seek partners who produce matching components such as network cards, graphics cards and computer motherboards," said Wan Zheng, general manager of Huakun Zhenyu.

The company will work to strengthen its advantage in manufacturing NAND flash memory chips, displays and chip packaging, according to Wan.

In addition, Huakun Zhenyu signed a strategic agreement with Huawei on July 3 in Chengdu to collaborate in the machine vision industry. Machine vision focuses on automatic imaging, inspection and analysis via the use of intelligent applications. The cooperation between Huakun Zhenyu and Huawei will focus on offering machine-vision products and intelligent holographic solutions.

The two sides are determined to establish a machine-vision ecosystem to attract more related companies to settle in Chengdu and help the city with new economic growth, according to the local government.

Huakun Zhenyu's arrival is the latest progression in a work plan to develop what is being called the "Kunpeng industry" in a report that was released by Chengdu government in April. It proposes that by 2025, Chengdu is to cultivate three to five backbone enterprises in the fields of complete machines, core components, basic software and industry application software, and 300 supporting enterprises.

The "Kunpeng industry" covers the research and development, production, application and after-sales service of the hardware and software products using Kunpeng processors.

On June 22, the Kunpeng Intelligent Manufacturing Alliance was founded in Chengdu. Its first members include China Greatwall Technology Group, Beijing-based high-tech company Cloud Ansys and Dongguan Siliten Electronics.

The "Kunpeng industry" is expected to be worth 50 billion yuan ($7.14 billion) by 2025, according to a senior official at the Chengdu bureau of economic and information technology.

"Developing the 'Kunpeng industry' is of great significance to help Chengdu forge a trillion yuan-level electronic information industry and build a high-quality modern industrial system," the official added.

Besides the electronic information industry, Chengdu has pressed the "fast-forward button" on its aerospace industry.

The final satellite of the Beidou Navigation Satellite System took off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province on June 23.This completes the third-generation network of China's Beidou navigation system.

Enterprises and scientific research institutions in Chengdu have not only provided technical support for the satellite launch, but also participated in the R&D of supporting facilities for rockets and satellites, according to local government.

Located in Chengdu's Jinniu district, the Beidou Plus Industrial Park has attracted hundreds of well-known enterprises in the Beidou industrial chain, which helped accelerate the construction of a Beidou plus industrial chain in the city.

To promote the development of Chengdu's aerospace industry ecosystem, Chengdu established an aerospace industry alliance on June 30.

The alliance has gathered more than 200 enterprises from the fields of aerospace-related R&D, manufacturing, operation services and supply chain support. It aims to promote the integration and upgrading of Chengdu's aerospace industry chain.

According to the city government, Chengdu has formed two aerospace industry chains of "complete machines, engines, components, aerospace electronics and ground equipment" and "rockets, satellites and services", with a total industry scale exceeding 80 billion yuan.