Premier Li Qiang on Monday said companies should take a leading role when it comes to driving innovation and technology.

He made the comment during a three-day inspection visit to Guangdong that ended on Monday, during which he was briefed on the development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone in Shenzhen.

Xinhua News Agency quoted the Premier as saying that innovation and technology is key to winning the future.

"[There's a] need to strengthen the role of firms in innovation, improve support in areas such as policy, funding and talent support, and leverage the Greater Bay Area's strength in assembling innovative resources, and intensify R&D collaboration in emerging fields and core technologies to achieve further breakthroughs," he said.

Xinhua said that during the visit, Li learnt more about the use of artificial intelligence by industries such as new materials and biomedical sciences.

He also said the use of robots and drones in daily life should be more widespread, after touring a plant for car manufacturer BYD, a helicopter deck, a robot-making hub and learning about the developments of the low-altitude economy.

Li went on to urge firms to manufacture more high-quality products at a faster pace, as he visited the Midea Group and inspected the operations and logistics of e-commerce firms and the airport in Foshan.

He stressed that as 2026 is the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan, enterprises should seize opportunities and inject momentum into the nation's economic development.