On the morning of 21 April, one of the activities of the Thematic Promotion Conference on the Practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Chongqing, namely the Chongqing Economic and Trade Promotion Conference, took place in the city. Zhang Yongwu, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, introduced Chongqing as a "standing city" by drawing upon the five letters of "STAND". He extended an invitation to the world, declaring that this is a city full of opportunities and vitality.
Chongqing offers unique landscapes, a rich culinary scene, a well-established industrial system, countless development opportunities, and a community of passionate residents. Come to Chongqing! Stroll along the mountain paths, admire the city's nightscape, explore the bustling night markets, and savour the famous Chongqing hot pot. I am confident you will discover even more of what makes this city beautiful.
Despite the complex and unpredictable global economic and trade environment, which presents significant challenges to trade and growth prospects worldwide, Chongqing has remained firmly committed to open development and mutually beneficial cooperation. The municipality strongly believes that collaboration and openness are key to overcoming these challenges:
In terms of industrial collaboration, Chongqing is keen to strengthen ties with countries across sectors such as automotive and electronic information. Through project investments and joint industrial park development, the city aims to achieve resource complementarity and create win-win outcomes. Additionally, Chongqing looks to expand trade relations in emerging fields such as cross-border e-commerce, green energy, and advanced manufacturing—promoting "Chongqing-made" products like new-energy vehicles and motorcycles to the world, while importing more high-quality products from various countries, thus continuously growing bilateral trade.
For investment cooperation, Chongqing is dedicated to offering comprehensive services to foreign enterprises investing in the city, creating a favourable business environment. At the same time, the city hopes partner countries will assist Chongqing-based enterprises in conducting economic and trade activities locally, ensuring a mutually supportive environment for shared progress.
This event was organized by the Chongqing Investment Promotion Association.
Specialness
Chongqing lies in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the world's third longest river. It is about 1,500 kilometres from Shanghai, the mouth of the Yangtze. With an area of 82,400 square kilometres and a population of 32 million, Chongqing is the only municipality directly under the central government in China's central and western regions. It serves as the economic centre of the upper Yangtze River and as a national central city.
In April last year, President Xi Jinping visited Chongqing for inspection and guidance, bestowing on the city a new role as a key strategic pivot for the development of the western region and as a comprehensive hub for inland opening-up. This set the developmental coordinates for building a modern Chongqing. Various national development policies have accumulated and converged in the city. For example, Chongqing is one of five international consumption centre cities in China and the first in central and western China to launch a comprehensive pilot programme to expand the opening-up of the service sector. Moreover, Chongqing hosts the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Strategic Connectivity Initiative, a unique partnership project between the two governments.
The Chinese government is working to establish Chongqing as the country's fourth world-class urban agglomeration, following Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. This agglomeration is expected to drive the modernisation of 380 million people in the western region.
Trade
Trade has always been embedded in Chongqing's DNA. As far back as 3,000 years ago, the Ba people who lived in this region were known for their salt trade. Over a century ago, Chongqing became one of China's first inland ports open to foreign trade. Today, Chongqing continues to champion inland opening-up, implementing key initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative. The city has established trade relations with 224 countries and regions, attracting 322 Fortune Global 500 companies to invest here. Chongqing's logistics sector is particularly efficient, benefitting from three major transportation networks—the China-Europe Railway, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and the Yangtze River Golden Waterway. It is also well-connected to global markets via the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, with its logistics network reaching 560 ports across 127 countries and regions worldwide.
Advanced-industries
Chongqing has thrived because of its industries and has long been a key industrial manufacturing hub in China. Among the 41 complete industrial categories, Chongqing hosts 39. By 2024, for every 8 cars and 3 motorcycles produced in China, one will be made in Chongqing. Additionally, one in every four laptops globally will be made there. It is indeed China's "automobile capital" and an important hub for the electronic information industry in Asia.
Currently, Chongqing is speeding up the creation of a modern manufacturing cluster system. The city is building three trillion-yuan industrial clusters in the fields of intelligent connected new energy vehicles, the next generation of electronic information manufacturing, and advanced materials. Additionally, it is upgrading and developing three key industrial clusters worth 500 billion yuan each in intelligent equipment and manufacturing, food and agricultural processing, and software information services.
Nature
Chongqing has embraced Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, fostering a community of life between humanity and nature while protecting the shared blue planet. Here, mountains, water, and civilisation blend seamlessly. Surrounded by mountains and rivers, with unique landscapes formed by the convergence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, Chongqing enjoys a natural ecological barrier. The interaction of these elements has nurtured Chongqing's unique Bayu culture, establishing a harmonious relationship between people and nature. In this city, nature and the urban landscape coexist. Skyscrapers rise from the mountains, rail transit cuts through buildings, and overpasses wind like mazes. Chongqing's unique terrain breaks the boundaries between nature and city, showcasing a vibrant, untamed energy. Here, not only are there striking cityscapes such as monorails passing through buildings, but also magnificent night views along the two rivers and the exceptional experience of crossing the Yangtze on a cable car. The hustle and bustle of daily life exists alongside warmth. From winding cliffside paths and nostalgic teahouses to hot pots that steam invitingly, Chongqing retains the charm of everyday life and the traces of time. The straightforward calls in the local dialect, the fragrant Chongqing noodles at street corners, and the lively grilled fish are all symbols of warmth engraved in the city's fabric.
Dream
Chongqing is a city where dreams come true. Why is it considered a place that helps people achieve their dreams? First, there are the essential resources. Chongqing offers abundant land, making it ideal for manufacturing, services, and emerging industries. Backed by the resource-rich southwest of China, it has plentiful water, electricity, gas, and mineral resources. The city's workforce is also robust, with over 1.55 million vocational and university students, producing a large number of skilled workers every year to meet business needs. Moreover, the city's overall investment costs are just 60–70% of those in coastal China, making it a more cost-effective option for enterprises.
Chongqing's industrial ecosystem is another strength. The city boasts a complete industrial chain covering automotive manufacturing, electronics, equipment manufacturing, biomedicine, and more. Whether upgrading traditional industries or establishing new ones, Chongqing provides a dynamic and supportive industrial environment. Its business climate is another major advantage. Chongqing is one of China's six pilot cities for business environment innovation, with a full-service system for foreign investment that guarantees equal access to policies. Lastly, "D" also stands for "Digit". Chongqing is rapidly advancing its "Digital Chongqing" initiative, using digital technologies to empower new productivity and stimulate economic growth, while creating a national-leading integrated smart public data platform that explores new approaches to governing megacities.
"The Story of the Communist Party of China - The Practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Chongqing" Thematic Promotion Conference
On 21 April, the Thematic Promotion Conference titled "Stories of the Communist Party of China—The Practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Chongqing" was jointly hosted by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. The conference, themed "Striving to Write a Chapter of the Chinese Path to Modernisation in Chongqing," presented vivid stories of Chongqing's high-quality development and improved living standards in recent years. It showcased China's comprehensive efforts to promote its path to modernisation under the leadership of the Communist Party, highlighting the significant opportunities this brings to global development. More than 200 political party leaders from over 50 countries, some diplomatic envoys to China, and foreign business representatives in China attended the event.
Source: Official WeChat Account of Chongqing Municipal Commerce Commission, Chongqing Radio and Television Group