Chongqing’s international links increase
On July 12, the Consulate General of Myanmar in Chongqing officially opened. The Consulate General of Myanmar in Chongqing is the 13th foreign consulate general approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On June 23, the 10,000th China-European heavy container train departed Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park. Chongqing is now the largest rail head linking with the EU.
January to May 2022, Chongqing’s international import and export value reached 343.83 billion CNY, up increase of 12.9%.
The new western land and sea channel from Chongqing now links with 319 ports in 107 countries and regions around the world. The Yangtze River waterway has been further developed as a logistics channel and the number of international routes from Jiangbei International Airport has increased to 108.
The Sino-Singapore International Data Channel has provided services for more than 200 enterprises, and the interconnected comprehensive three-dimensional open channel system has been formed.
The city government has held several major diplomacy-related projects including participating at the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Digital Economy Industry Forum, the Special Foreign Ministers Meeting to commemorate the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue and the 6th Foreign Ministers Meeting on Lancang-Mekong River Cooperation, and the China-Latin America Entrepreneurs Summit. It is also building further international exchange and cooperation platforms and organizing important exhibitions and activities such as the Smart Fair, the Western Fair, the China-Singapore Financial Summit and the Land and Sea New Channel International Cooperation Forum. Chongqing will continue to strengthen foreign exchange and cooperation in various fields such as culture, education, science and technology, tourism, and sports. Strengthening ties with foreign embassies and consulates in Chongqing, Rongkun, and international friendship cities, carrying out more than 200 exchanges in various fields such as economy, trade and humanities annually, promoting the establishment of the European Chongqing Center, China (Chongqing)-Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Chongqing will promote the establishment of a large number of international cooperation platforms, such as the European Center, the China (Chongqing) - Shanghai Cooperation Organization Wisdom Tourism Center, the China Center for Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation in South Asia, and the International Cooperation Alliance for Vocational Education in the New Land and Sea Channel.
By optimizing the international business environment, Chongqing is actively linking with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and other leading international economic and trade organisations to continuously improve the level of investment and trade facilitation.
Chongqing has created the Intellectual Property Court, foreign-related intellectual property mediation center, established Chongqing international legal identification service center, and continuously improved the foreign-related rule of law system.
In spite of the complicated epidemic situation, the Consulate General of Belarus and the Consulate General of Myanmar and the number of international friendship cities and friendship exchange cities has increased to 52 pairs and 112 pairs respectively, which fully reflects the strong momentum of opening up Chongqing to the outside world.
As a major central city and the only municipality directly under the central government in western China, Chongqing is an important strategic pivot point for the development of western China, and is at the junction of the "Belt and Road" and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and has a unique and important strategic position in the overall development of the country.
Key new opportunities being seized by Chongqing include:
Liangjiang New Area, with its prominent inland opening gateway effect, has been successfully declared as a Chinese case region in the third round of China-EU regional policy cooperation.
The High-tech New Area is promoting and enhancing the construction of the Central and Western International Communication Center and the Western (Chongqing) Science City together, and promoting the construction of high-quality international communities and high-end talent gathering areas.
Yuzhong District has introduced more than 50 newly-invested enterprises, including CapitaLand Group, and the investment amount of key Sino-Singapore cooperation projects exceeds US$5.5 billion.
Yubei District has completed and put into operation the second phase of the air cargo terminal in Jiangbei International Airport Bonded Port Area, and created platforms such as the "intelligent aviation logistics information platform", which has significantly improved the function of the airport hub channel.
Nan’an District accelerated the construction of the Yangtze River Economic Belt Green Development Demonstration in Guangyang Bay Area, and built a new carrier for the city's important foreign affairs activities.
Jiangbei District actively build the core bearing area of the western financial center and the preferred area of the international consumption center city.
Shapingba District will participate in the Belt and Road University Alliance Forum, held the "Global Education Exchange Week", initiated the establishment of global graduate academic courses and other international conferences and activities.
Source: Chongqing Daily