Chinese homes appliances maker Gree Electric Appliances will step up efforts to promote unmanned factories, in a push to upgrade manufacturing techniques with technology, said Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman and CEO of Gree.

“We have eight production bases in China, and most of which are now unmanned factories. We will ramp up resources to develop more core technologies,” said Dong on the sidelines of the ongoing first session of the 13th National People's Congress.

According to her, previously the company had to import important components from other countries to make air conditioners. But thanks to persistent efforts in research and development, Gree’s in-house design departments now are good enough to meet the company’s own demand.

Gree is among a growing number of Chinese companies that are scrambling to embrace technologies to upgrade their factories. That’s exactly what Made in China 2025 strategy called for.