“Very exciting, very pragmatic, and very inspiring!” On March 18, after attending the city’s conference on empowering new industrialization with artificial intelligence, Wang Zichun, First Deputy Party Secretary of Jiangsu Dongqiang Co., Ltd., concluded his feelings with three “very” . The various measures outlined at the conference, particularly the emphasis and support for entrepreneurs, have given this veteran, who has spent over 40 years in the cable industry, even greater confidence for the future.

Forty-one years have passed, and Dongqiang has not been “dried up” by the tides of time. Instead, it has grown into a national high-tech enterprise and a key “little giant” enterprise specializing in niche sectors. Last year, its sales revenue reached 1.638 billion yuan. Statistics show that the average survival span for private enterprises is approximately three to seven years. What has kept this township-born small factory thriving? Wang Zichun’s answer is simple yet profound: “First, precisely riding the wave of industrial opportunities; second, making our products truly ‘hardcore’.” At Dongqiang, there is a “golden rule” that has been upheld for years: annual R&D investment accounts for no less than 4% of sales revenue, and at least six new products must pass certification by authoritative authorities each year. To date, the company holds 269 national authorized patents, including 22 invention patents, and has won the China Patent Excellence Award.

As the 15th Five-Year Plan period begins, facing a new wave of industrial transformation driven by artificial intelligence, Wang Zichun has developed new insights. He said “A ‘hardcore’ product requires not only new materials and exquisite craftsmanship but also an intelligent manufacturing process.” He revealed that Dongqiang is investing 100 million yuan in a new intelligent factory project, which is currently under construction and is expected to be completed and put into operation in August this year. The project aims to rebuild every aspect of cable manufacturing using AI technology.