Instrumentation industry presents strong development

In 2013, China’s import and export trade volume exceeded US$4 trillion for the first time, among which, China’s instrumentation exports increased significantly, showing a strong development trend and becoming an important link in boosting China’s trade growth.

Data show that in 2013, the total value of China’s imports and exports reached 4.16 trillion U.S. dollars, which increased by 7.6% year-on-year after adjusting for the RMB exchange rate. The US will release its full-year trade data for the previous year in February. However, from January to November 2013, the total value of US imports and exports was 3.57 trillion U.S. dollars, which means that China is now basically the world’s largest cargo trading nation.

Throughout 2013, the instrumentation industry performed relatively strong in import and export trade. In terms of exports, the growth rate of industrial automation instrumentation systems, electronic measuring instruments, testing machines, laboratory analysis instruments, and medical instruments in 2013 was all above 40%, and the increase in industrial automation meters and electronic measuring instruments that had not been exported in the past was as high as 76.9% and 104.5%. In terms of imports, in recent years, the value of advanced equipment imported from abroad every year has exceeded RMB 500 billion.

Despite this, China's instrumentation industry still faces serious deficiencies. One of the manifestations is the backwardness of independent research and development of high-end instruments. It is estimated that more than 90% of China's high-end equipment needs to rely on imports. Under such circumstances, improving the research and development of instruments of Chinese science and technology companies has become one of the key points in the development of the instrumentation industry.

The development of China's instrumentation industry is an indispensable and important part of boosting China's becoming a trading power. In 2014, with the gradual improvement of the world economic situation, China will have more and more instrumentation equipments on the international market stage and gradually join the ranks of international competition.