By Yuling Chen, iChongqing News

Beijing - Chongqing’s GDP in 2018 is 1466 times that of 1949 with the added value of industries increasing 3424.5 percent. The average life expectancy has grown from 49.5 years old to 77.6, as China's inland hinterland grew into a pioneer of the "opening-up" development of China. All these are significant changes occurred in the mountain city of Chongqing in Southwest China in 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The State Council Information Office of China held a series of themed press conferences on provinces (both autonomous regions or municipalities) in China's capital city of Beijing. It contained a press conference to brief the media about Chongqing municipality’s endeavor to break new grounds to push forward China’s Western Development strategy to a new stage on September 11, 2019. Tang Liangzhi, deputy secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and mayor of Chongqing, and Zhang Ming, head of the Publicity Department and a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, met the press both at home and abroad.

Transformation to promote high-quality development

Located in the southwest of inland China and the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Chongqing is the only Municipality in Central and Western China which directly reports to the Central Government. It is, therefore, one of China’s key cities. Chongqing lays a comparatively good foundation for manufacturing, and 39 out of 41 types of industries are active in Chongqing.

"We will stick to the supply-side structural reform," said Tang Liangzhi. "(We will) fully implement the guideline of Consolidation, Enhancement, Promotion, and Facilitation. (We will) make efforts to maintain what we have and explore new frontiers based on the actual circumstances of Chongqing. (We will) speed up to establish a modern industrial system,"

In 2018, the added value of the strategic emerging industries and high-tech industries increased by 13.1% and 13.7% annually. The software revenue increased by 14.8%. Digital transformation of industries continue to develop, and there are 76 smart factories and digitalized workshops with an average efficiency improved by 67.3%.

"Chongqing insists on the strategic choice of innovation in big data and intelligent technology to promote high-quality development", said Zhang Ming. "Chongqing intensifies its effort to build itself into a city of smart manufacturing and famous for smart technology. (It does this) by further implementing the innovation-driven development action plan led by big data and intelligent technology. (The strategy includes) pacing up digital industrialization and industrial transformation with digital elements, as well as integrating the digital economy and the real economy."

To push forward China’s Western Development strategy to a new stage

As a mountain city in China's west region, Chongqing is fully exploring its advantages and turning itself into an opening-up pioneer from an inland city with geographical features.

"Chongqing plays its role as an important strategic node of China's Western Development Strategy and the intersection the Belt and Road and the Yangtze River Economic Belt to speed up the construction of corridors to other regions and overseas," said Tang Liangzhi.

In 2018, the value of imports and exports reached RMB 522.26 billion, ranking the 11th in China and the 2nd in Central and Western China. Two hundred eighty-seven out of Fortune 500 companies have established their presence in Chongqing.

China-Europe Railway Express (Chongqing) has made over 4100 trips. One hundred eighty-two projects have been signed under the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Imitative on Strategic Connectivity, with the value totaling USD 26.46 billion. One hundred ninety-seven institutional innovations have been made in the China (Chongqing) Pilot Free Trade Zone, among which 12 have been replicated nationwide. 

The Master Plan of Western New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) has been issued on August 2 this year. It means that ILSTC is a national strategy. Tang Liangzhi pointed out that Chongqing will seize this great opportunity and join hands with western provinces and autonomous regions to build itself as an operation center, operating platform, and logistics hub. Chongqing will endeavor to make ILSTC a strategic corridor for western development and push forward China's mid-west regions integrate into international economic cooperation.

Create a calling card as a city of mountains and rivers

Spicy Chongqing hot pot and the subway that goes through an apartment are two of the more remarkable facts about Chongqing, a city with a profound history in the fight against the foreign invasions.

And Chongqing integrates environmental protection with tourism development and make special efforts on the city of mountains and rivers. Chongqing made clear its goals to build it into a city with natural wonders and cultural appeals and ensure a gain in vision, broadened horizons, for visitors after a tour through Chongqing.

Tang Liangzhi introduced that Chongqing enhances its awareness and shoulders its responsibility as a city on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The forest coverage rate of the city reached 48.3%, of which the forest coverage rate on both sides of the Yangtze River exceeded 50%. Ecological functions are strengthened continuously. An ecological red line of 20,400 square kilometers was set, to protect agriculture (farming) from development and retain a good balance of forest coverage and undeveloped wildlands. Chongqing has made good use of its tourism resources, namely the Three Gorges, mountainous landscape, culture, hot spring and charming countryside. Chongqing's tourism revenue has maintained over 30%.

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