National Tobacco Platform Construction Progress Meeting Held in Beijing

On February 17th, the National Conference on the Advancement of the Integrated Tobacco Production and Operation Management Platform was held in Beijing. The conference evaluated the progress made during the construction phase of the integrated platform and analyzed the current situation and future goals, while arranging and deploying the next steps of action. Zhang Jianmin, Party Secretary and Director of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, as well as General Manager of China National Tobacco Corporation, attended the meeting and gave a speech. Xu, a member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the State Administration also chaired the conference and gave a summary speech.

Conference Scene | Image Source: Eastern Tobacco Network

Zhang Jianmin pointed out that the digital transformation of the tobacco industry is a strategic move to implement the decision-making arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, an important engine to accelerate the modernization of the industry, an internal requirement to serve and integrate into the new development pattern, and a powerful tool to empower industry transformation and upgrading. The construction of an integrated platform is in its initial stage of digital transformation of the industry, with the main task being to coordinate and improve the digital infrastructure of the industry, while striving for breakthroughs in application scenarios and data governance. The entire industry should deeply grasp the historical task of digital transformation, further strengthen determination, confidence, patience, and perseverance, and work hard to transform thinking, organization, mode, and means, in order to empower the high-quality development and modernization of the industry with the construction of an integrated platform.

In summarizing and analyzing the achievements and challenges facing the integration platform construction, Zhang Jianmin pointed out that over the past three years, the integration platform construction has adhered to a goal-oriented, problem-oriented, and results-oriented approach, and has made solid progress in overall coordination and digital transformation strategy implementation, accelerating the improvement of digital infrastructure, achieving breakthroughs in applications of agriculture, industry, commerce and government, forming an effective momentum for tackling difficulties together, steadily improving the level of digital governance, and presenting a lively trend of prioritizing foundations, highlighting applications, integrating various aspects, and building an ecosystem. It has become an important breakthrough and focus for the digital transformation of the industry. At the same time, it is necessary to clearly recognize the difficulties and challenges faced in the construction of the integration platform, highlight the strategic leadership of supporting modernization of the industry, strengthen goal orientation and problem orientation, and use the construction of the integration platform to accelerate the digital transformation of the industry, firmly grasp the initiative of digital development, and make efforts to create "hard-core" results of deep integration of digital economy and real economy, and continue to contribute to the country's economic and social development and China's modernization.

Zhang Jianmin emphasized that this year is a critical year for the construction and completion of the integrated platform. The entire industry should make efforts and work together to promote early completion and effectiveness of the integrated platform, strive to achieve the phased goals of forming an effective support between digital infrastructure and business applications, initial integration of agricultural, industrial, commercial, governmental and political applications, and auxiliary improvement of industry governance capabilities through decision-making support systems. This will establish a solid foundation for the comprehensive and in-depth promotion of industry digital transformation and the advancement of industry modernization. Firstly, we must adhere to learning and promote action to create momentum. We must plan and promote the construction of the integrated platform from the overall national work situation and the overall development of the industry. We need to attach importance to learning digital transformation theory, carry out innovative practices, and stimulate the industry's enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity to actively participate in the construction of the integrated platform. Secondly, we must strengthen coordination and grasp progress and quality. We should tightly grasp the basic requirement of "early completion," strengthen departmental coordination, top-to-bottom linkage, and policy coordination to ensure synchronous transformation in various fields and establish a solid foundation for high-quality construction to achieve high-efficiency operation. Thirdly, we must adhere to integration, perfect data governance, and achieve the fundamental goal of "early effectiveness." We need to coordinate the construction of various application systems, interconnectivity, collaborative linkage, and overall promotion of technology, business and data integration to enhance the ability of data-driven operations, management, and decision-making. Fourthly, we must improve our ability and strengthen self-reliance. By deepening the research application of digital technology in the tobacco industry, actively promoting the planning of the medium and long-term industry digitalization transformation, gradually developing and strengthening the industry's digital transformation professional team, and promoting the overall elements, processes, and all-round digitization. Fifthly, we must prevent and resolve risks and build a secure barrier. We must firmly establish a national security concept, comprehensively strengthen the network security guarantee system and capacity building, effectively prevent and resolve various risks and challenges, ensure the independent and controllable basic platform, core technology, and application system, and ensure the safety and stability of the industrial chain and supply chain. Finally, we must sound the charge and fight to win. Industry units and departments must truly enhance their sense of responsibility, establish and improve organizational coordination mechanisms, perfect assessment and incentive mechanisms, seize time, improve efficiency, prioritize quality, and ensure safety. All work must be completed according to plan, systematically, and with high quality.

Xu emphasized in his summary speech the importance of deeply understanding and accurately grasping the spirit of the meeting, recognizing achievements and remaining confident, addressing shortcomings and identifying issues, solidifying direction and strengthening foundations, working towards the same goals and building cohesion while ensuring effective implementation of work. The entire industry should promptly communicate and implement the spirit of the meeting, continuously strengthen basic resource guarantees, focus on deepening data resource sharing, coordinate and advance project construction, carefully research operational management mechanisms, fully prevent and resolve risks and challenges, maintain an upward and proactive spirit, and make every effort to carry out the various tasks related to the construction of integrated platforms, contributing to the industry's high-quality development and acceleration of modernization.

During the meeting, Zhang Quan, Director of the Development Planning Department of the National Bureau and Director of the Integrated Platform Project Office, delivered a work report. The report highlighted the need to intensify efforts to promote the construction of digital infrastructure, advance the construction of application projects in the four major areas of agriculture, industry, commerce, and government, improve the management of data elements, promote the application of core business scenarios, and establish an operational support system to ensure the successful completion of the goal of building the integrated platform by 2023.

The meeting was held via teleconferencing. The heads of various departments and units from the national bureau and headquarters, as well as relevant personnel from project teams, attended the meeting at the main venue. Meanwhile, the heads and responsible personnel from various directly-owned and affiliated units in the industry, as well as relevant department heads, participated in the meeting at the subsidiary venues.