China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin on Tuesday called for more efforts to push forward the development of the country's machinery industry.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks during a meeting with members of the China Machinery Industry Federation, who attended a national session of the federation in Beijing over the past two days.

Jia said that in the past five decades, China's machinery industry has established itself as a powerful industry system with considerable scale and complete industry categories.

He noted that the machinery industry should push forward industrial upgrades over the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), raise the quality and efficiency of the industry, accelerate mergers and acquisitions to forge conglomerates, and enhance the industry's ability to withstand risks.

Efforts should also be made to improve technological innovation and increase scientific research input over the next five years, Jia added.

Additionally, he said the machinery industry should push forward energy-saving and emission-reduction activities, and eliminate outdated production capacities.

Jia called for increased efforts to implement the "going abroad" strategy and for the improvement of the industry's international competitiveness.

Founded in 2001, the China Machinery Industry Federation is the only national organization for the country's machinery industry.