The world is ushering in the third industrial revolution

The global debate on how to get out of the crisis to achieve recovery is leading to a breakthrough historical conclusion. The world needs a new industrial revolution.

Recently, the voice of scholars represented by the famous American trend scientist Jeremy Rifkin about the "third industrial revolution" has aroused great concern on a global scale. Experts and scholars pointed out that China needs to comprehensively analyze the historical trend of post-crisis industrialization and grasp new historical development opportunities. Focusing on “showing historical changes and revealing strategic opportunities”, Xinhua News Agency’s “Economic Information Daily” launched a special report from now on to comprehensively analyze and report on the background, characteristics, trends, risks and opportunities of the new round of industrial revolution.

Since the global financial crisis in 2008, a voice has become louder and louder. "The world is on the eve of the technological and industrial revolution." Lu Yongxiang, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and former president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointed out that “over 200 years of industrialization in the world has enabled a few countries to modernize, but natural resources have already faced the threat of exhaustion and the ecological environment has suffered tremendous damage. This urgently requires humanity. Develop new sources of resources, innovate development models and development paths, and create new production methods and lifestyles."

The latest "The Third Industrial Revolution" published by Jeremy Rifkin predicted that a new economy based on the combination of the Internet and new energy sources will soon come. Jeremy Rifkin said, “Economic and social changes always come from the intersection of new energy and new communication methods.” According to his analysis, in the 19th century, steam engines and coal accelerated the speed of information flow. They make it possible to print large amounts of cheap newspapers, while at the same time increasing the proportion of people who receive education. In the 20th century, electricity , telephones, radio and television again converged.

The "Third Industrial Revolution" pointed out that 23% of people in the world today do not have access to electricity, and 25% of people can only receive partial electricity. This shows that the current energy distribution model can not meet the needs. In the new industrial revolution, each building will become a source of energy production, so a communication network is needed to distribute these energy sources. The Third Industrial Revolution predicts that in the next half century, the traditional centralized management activities of the first and second industrial revolutions will be replaced by the decentralized management mode of the third industrial revolution. It marks the beginning of a new era characterized by cooperation, social networking, industry experts, and skilled labor.

Recently, the British "Economist" magazine also published a series of articles on "The Third Industrial Revolution" written by Paul McGregor, said that a third industrial revolution based on the combination of the Internet and new materials and new energy sources. Coming soon, it will center on "digital manufacturing" and will revolutionize the distribution of global technology elements and market elements.

State Department Counselor Tang Min said: "We and the general division of the Industrial Revolution is different from the current overseas scholars," the first two industrial revolutions of the third industrial revolution, "referring to the second half of the 18th century British textile machinery as the symbol the first industrial revolution and the early 20th century, Ford Motor company mass production line marked the birth of the second industrial revolution and the third industrial revolution refers to digital manufacturing and application of new type materials represented a new era."

What echoes the voice of authoritative scholars is that the United States, the European Union, Japan, and China are eager to recover from the crisis and actively develop new industries to seek the commanding heights of the global real economy after the crisis.

The U.S. government's "Restructuring the U.S. Manufacturing Framework" promulgated in December 2009 sets out in detail the planned additional funding lines, application directions, and usage patterns. Focus on the development of new energy, bio-industry and broadband strategy. Britain's "Building the Future of Britain" promulgated in Britain in June 2009 proposes to start building a "tomorrow's economy" and vigorously develop low-carbon economy and bio-industry to ensure that Britain is a world leader. Germany has set a goal that green energy will account for 35% of its total energy demand by 2020, and Germany is currently experimenting with the “energy internet”.

China’s high-level decision-making points form a tacit understanding with global forward-looking thinking. In the past week, China’s decision-making circles have deployed intensively the development strategies of emerging technologies and emerging industries. On May 28, the CPC Central Committee held a meeting of the Political Bureau, pointing out that the role of science and technology in economic development has become increasingly prominent. The pace of new technological revolutions and global industrial changes has accelerated. China's science and technology development is facing both important strategic opportunities and severe challenges. The meeting pointed out that it is necessary to “transform from a large industrial country to an industrial power, to lay a solid material foundation for building a well-to-do society in an all-round way and accelerating socialist modernization.” On May 30, the State Council executive meeting discussed the adoption of the “Twelfth Five-Year” national strategic emerging strategy. The Industrial Development Plan puts forward the key development directions and major tasks of the seven strategic emerging industries.

According to Ma Yanhe, chief scientist of the National 973 Program, “The world may usher in a new industrial cycle. We need to innovate in the institutional mechanisms, and develop key technologies and industries such as new energy, a new generation of information technology, and biological industries. We will make new breakthroughs and seize the historic opportunity to achieve new industrialization."