On April 12, the 2017 Seventh National Knitting Technology Conference and the sixth and third enlarged executive director meeting of the China Knitting Industry Association were held in Haining, Zhejiang. Nearly 300 people attended the meeting, including Yang Jichao, vice president of China National Textile and Apparel Federation (hereinafter referred to as "China Textile Federation") and president of China Knitting Industry Association (hereinafter referred to as "China National Textile Federation"), Yu Yaming, deputy mayor of Haining Municipal People's Government, Yu Jianyong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Peng Yanli, deputy secretary-general of China Textile Federation and director of the Science and Technology Development Department, as well as experts, scholars and business representatives from the knitting industry, industrial clusters and scientific research institutes.

As one of the key tasks of the industry's "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" development plan, enhancing the industry's independent innovation capabilities, relying on high and new technologies to transform traditional industries, and promoting technological progress in the industry have become the central link in optimizing the industrial structure and promoting industrial upgrading. In order to effectively promote technological progress in the industry and lead the innovation and development of the industry, the conference focused on "Innovative Applications to Promote Industrial Upgrading" and deeply discussed the application of intelligent manufacturing in traditional industries and the development trends of textile technology at home and abroad. With the sub-themes of "printing and dyeing", "weft knitting" and "warp knitting", the conference conducted special discussions on knitting technology, processes, products, research and development results, etc.

Yang Jichao said in the theme work report that the industry is currently developing steadily and making progress, new technologies and new products are constantly emerging, and there are many highlights such as intelligent manufacturing, cross-border integration, and aggregation of advantages. In view of the deterministic industrial development path in an uncertain environment, we must focus on the global innovation landscape to strengthen industrial research, carry out policy layout around the technology life cycle, carry out spatial layout focusing on the industrial cluster structure, cultivate innovative and entrepreneurial talents, accelerate innovation in industrial organizations, promote industrial integrated development, and build industrial dominance from the three aspects of market, capital and technology.

When introducing the technological innovation and future development trends of the textile industry during the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, Peng Yanli pointed out that during the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, textile technological progress will focus on breakthroughs in 30 common key technologies in six categories and the promotion of 100 advanced and applicable technologies. Yu Jianyong pointed out that intelligent manufacturing is a new driving force for the development of the textile and apparel industry. With network manufacturing and data manufacturing as the core, the textile and apparel industry will continue to develop in the direction of lean manufacturing, efficient manufacturing, flexible manufacturing, service manufacturing, and green manufacturing.

The meeting added 12 companies including Shanghai Xinnuo Clothing Co., Ltd. as members of the China Acupuncture Association at different levels. In addition, the launching ceremony of the 2017 China Skills Competition - the National Textile Industry "Baiyuan Cup" Vocational Skills Competition for Weft Knitters was held, and commendations were given to outstanding technological R&D enterprises and outstanding chief engineers in China's knitting industry.