By Xinyi Li, EDITOR
The 2019 Regional Leaders Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will kick off in Chongqing. This is undoubtedly a major event in its construction process of opening-up in China’s hinterland. The news announced on the recent 2019 Meeting of Directors of Foreign Affairs Office of Chongqing Municipal People’s Government.
Major international conferences are shifting to second-tier cities
There is a notable phenomenon about large international political and economic conferences. In recent years, they are shifting from developed countries in Europe and America to Asia, especially China.
Meanwhile, the central government begins to decentralize the excessively centralized functions in first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai. It also supports second-tier cities with development potential and enables them to take the lead in driving regional development. Additionally, it aims to promote a balanced and coordinated development of China’s regional economy. Therefore, the central government begins to make large international conferences kick off in second-tier cities.
Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors chose Hangzhou as the venue in 2016
Chongqing’s achievements in opening-up
In 2016, Chongqing’s volume of export trade with countries along the “Belt and Road” reached USD 18.1 billion. It ranked first in the western regions of China. Since 2011, its actually utilized foreign investment has exceeded USD 10 billion for eight consecutive years. That ranked first in the central and western provinces.
The origin of New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) and China Railway Express (Chongqing) to Europe
Rashid Alimov, Secretary-General of the SCO made a summary. He said that the SCO was an active supporter and practitioner of the “Belt and Road” Initiative. Chongqing, however, is located at the junction of the “Belt and Road” and the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Chongqing is also fully integrated into the “Belt and Road” Initiative. Therefore, the cooperation between the SCO member states and Chongqing is an opportunity for win-win results.
The largest inner-river hub port - Guoyuan Port
Chongqing will construct a central and western international exchange center
Chongqing's striving for becoming a cosmopolitan city and the Regional Leaders Meeting of the SCO is just the start. According to the Meeting of Directors of the Foreign Affairs Office, the office will emphasize the opening-up in China’s hinterland. It will contrive and implement plans for state-to-state exchanges and cooperation. Additionally, it will focus on building a central and western international exchange center. And it will also promote exchanges and cooperation with 21 target countries and regions.
Paris is one of the representatives of international exchange centers
What is the international exchange center?
It refers to a city with certain influence in international exchange that plays an important role regionally or globally. This means that in the future, there will not only be more high-end international political and economic conferences in Chongqing. The city will also strive for more consulates and international organizations. Moreover, it will continue to expand the channels for international exchange and cooperation.
Relative link:
Chongqing Plans to Achieve 21 International Cooperation in 2019
Source: SOHU