Chongqing- Driving Chongqing from internationalization to globalization is something Long Jian, Deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress from the service industry, has been thinking about after observing the city's foreign economic and trade exchanges in recent years.

Internationalization to globalization

"Chongqing has developed rapidly with no doubt," said Long. "For example, we have done well in industrial internationalization, and economic and trade internationalization with regions like the (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) ASEAN, South Africa, and many other countries."

"Though we recognize them as Chongqing's partners in opening-up of internationalization," said Long. "I think this magnitude is still not enough for the city reaching to the globe."

Long believes, if Chongqing is able to communicate and collaborate with different developing and developed countries in areas like the industrial chain, R&D, manufacturing, culture, technology, and finance, with a more substantial role played in the world, then the city's practice in globalization will allow a more comprehensive and effective re-evaluation, definition and promotion of its ways of internationalization.

"Chongqing has more room for development," said Long. "But first and foremost, we should stand and aim higher for its future outreach to the world."

For example, Long proposed a motion of "an internationalization of channels and platforms", where channels can involve the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), China Railway Express (Yuxinou), Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport's T3B, and Yangtze River Golden Waterway and etc. as well as platforms, including China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI), China (Chongqing) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Guoyuan Port, and  Western (Chongqing) Science City, and etc.

"At present, Chongqing is at the leading level in the west in this regard," said Long. "Regarding the service efficiency and cost, it is necessary to make good use of the current policies, be more active and bold, trying out first."

Exchange consumption scenarios via CCI

Chongqing has promoted deep financial cooperation through the CCI, where it pushes for greater frequency, breadth, and impetus in financial interactions in its opening-up.

As the Vice President of Sasseur Chongqing Commercial Co. Ltd., Long thinks the company has promoted exchanges between China and Singapore, particularly economic trade, international brand supply chain, and cultural exchanges.

"We move some brands, cultures, consumption scenarios from Singapore to Chongqing," said Long. "Meanwhile, we recommend some local cultures, brands, products, and customs from Chongqing to Singapore."

Last September, The CCI · Sasseur REIT International Living Art Festival was launched in Chongqing, with a series of activities carried out, including fashion trends conferences, urban artist performances, art business global summit forums, etc.

The event aims to create a normalized, internationalized, and high-standard international life art festival, fostering the construction of Chongqing to an international consumption center city and enhancing high-quality development of consumption.

"Through the International Living Art Festival, it will further attract the people of China and Singapore to have some exchanges in life scenes, which will also promote Chongqing's foreign economy and trade," said Long. The event will also hold branch venues in other western provinces and regions.

"We are very proud that we can make some contributions to the CCI," said Long. "The holding of the International Living Art Festival will inject new impetus into the development of Sasseur Group, a step closer to becoming a global art business leader."

Sasseur Group serves as a large international chain group of premium outlet malls and one of the Top 500 Chinese Service Enterprises, sponsor of the first outlet mall REIT in Asia listed in Singapore Exchange as the demonstrative financial project of CCI.