Chongqing- The Chengdu-Chongqing area should drive its development through technological innovation, digitalization, and ecological civilization, said Dr. Hannes Androsch, AT&S Supervisory Board Chairman, at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Chongqing Mayor's International Economic Advisory (CMIA) in Chongqing.

Dr. Hannes Androsch, AT&S Supervisory Board Chairman. (Photo/ Secretariat of the Chongqing Mayor's International Economic Advisory)

It is the seventh consecutive year for AT&S to continue its high-level engagement with the Chongqing mayor and top leaders.   

Silicon Valley in China's West

As one of 16 global business leaders in the 16th Annual Meeting of the CMIA, Dr. Androsch delivered his presentation titled Transform Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle into the Silicon Valley in China's West at the meeting. 

According to Dr. Androsch, the vast economic potential of Chengdu and Chongqing should build on more than its geographic or strategic location. Its distinctive advantages in industry clustering and digital and ecological innovation should be reinforced in order to provide the formidable foundation as it transforms into the "Silicon Valley in China's West."

The cooperation between the two regions should start with the efforts to promote scientific and technological innovation jointly, accelerate the application of scientific findings in order to improve the quality of people's lives, and create new industries and jobs.

"Digital and ecological innovation are essential to a vibrant social, economic and cultural life of the region," said Dr. Androsch. "Both places should invest in digital infrastructure and green tech so as to strengthen services across multiple sectors and to build an intelligent digital nervous system supporting their operations."

Ventures into Chongqing for the tenth year

Chongqing is one of the most important production bases for AT&S worldwide. Since 2011, AT&S has been investing in technology and innovation in Chongqing and supporting the city's prosperous future.

In 2019, AT&S started to invest a further one billion euros in a new manufacturing facility in Chongqing over the next five years, responding to the growing global demand for high-performance computing integrated circuits (IC) substrates.

In March 2021, AT&S decided on an additional investment volume of approximately 200 million euros in Chongqing.

"Our investment in Chongqing stands for the highest level of technology and serves the global market," said Andreas Gerstenmayer, CEO of AT&S. "The expansion of IC substrates in Chongqing is progressing, series production has already started, and full capacity will be available at the beginning of 2024." 

Gerstenmayer added, the year 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of AT&S's venture into Chongqing. They are well-prepared and will be able to play a key role here in the years to come.