China’s MIIT to Proactively Identify High-Quality SMEs, Minister Says

The shift from application-based selection to proactive identification signals that Beijing wants earlier visibility into firms it considers strategically promising, particularly in technology and product development. That matters most for smaller companies that may lack the resources or connections to navigate existing cultivation programs, and for local governments tasked with implementing the tiered system. Whether the outreach translates into material support or remains a labeling exercise is the open question.