Premier wants to write new chapter

Can China produce high-end consumer products such as ballpoint pens?

This question was posed by Premier Li Keqiang at a seminar in Beijing on Wednesday that discussed ways to boost the economy.

Li used his own experience to explain how important it is to meet consumers' demands for high-quality products.

He said his writing is "rough" when he uses Chinese-made ballpoint pens, adding that he learned the reason from a recent TV program about Chinese manufacturing－a lack of core technology.

Although China produces 38 billion ballpoints annually and meets 80 percent of the global need, nearly 90 percent of its ballpoint pen nibs and refills are imported from Japan, Germany and Switzerland.

None of the country's 3,000-plus pen manufacturers have their own core technology for manufacturing high-end nibs and ink.

"That's the real situation facing us," Li said. "We cannot make ballpoint pens with a smooth writing function."

He said domestic manufacturers and entrepreneurs should focus on technological innovation and upgrading to meet market demands for high-end and high-quality products.