From table tennis balls and judo mats to Phryges doll mascots, silicon bracelets, LED displays and microchip-embedded footballs, China's contributions to the Games' equipment were extensive.

 While some of these products may seem basic and low-tech, items like table tennis balls require precise specifications that only China can achieve at a low per-unit cost.

The competitiveness of Chinese products attests to China's meteoric rise in intelligent manufacturing, also known as Industry 4.0. In 2011, at Hannover MESSE, German industrial leader Bosch argued that the future of industry lies in the widespread integration of information and communications technology in production.

 Chinese leaders immediately recognized the potential of this integration for China's labor-intensive and low value-added manufacturing.Even as overall foreign direct investment (FDI) declines, investment in China's advanced manufacturing continues to rise.

 The economic data for the first five months of this year show that FDI inflows into smart consumer equipment manufacturing and professional technical services increased by 332.9 percent and 103.1 percent year-on-year respectively. 

The advancements in intelligent manufacturing are reshaping the Chinese economy and transforming its trade relationships with countries around the world.Even as overall foreign direct investment (FDI) declines, investment in China's advanced manufacturing continues to rise.

 The economic data for the first five months of this year show that FDI inflows into smart consumer equipment manufacturing and professional technical services increased by 332.9 percent and 103.1 percent year-on-year respectively. The advancements in intelligent manufacturing are reshaping the Chinese economy and transforming its trade relationships with countries around the world.