Chongqing- In July 2021, Chongqing received approval to construct an international consumption center city aimed at creating economic growth through investment, consumer spending, and the import-export market. As the first pilot city in western China, this development will promote the construction of Chongqing as an opening-up pioneer in inland China and the fruition of high-quality development and living environment.

Focus has been placed on the term international consumption as Chongqing strives to exhibit its unique advantages to attract more global market players, international brands, professional institutions, well-known think tanks, and business associations.

The development of Chongqing into an international consumption center city is also being promoted through international exhibitions and activities, which enhance the recognition, popularity, and status of the five famous city brands known for international shopping, cuisine, exhibitions, culture, and tourism.

In this special roundtable discussion, distinguished guests Vincent Wong, Managing Director of CapitaLand Development Chongqing, and Raphael Zumsteg-Yuan, the Southwest China Representative of the Swiss Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and Legal Manager of Fenshare Holding's Sino-Swiss Technopark join iChongqing to share their expert insights into the economic advantages, international appeal and business environment the city offers.

Raffles City in Chongqing is an integrated development of CapitaLand and provides a wide variety of consumption scenarios for visitors, including a shopping mall complex, offices, hotels, apartments, and the world's largest horizontal skyscraper. Since the development was opened to the public in 2019, it has become a flagship symbol for the whole city.

As the managing director for CapitaLand Development Chongqing, Vincent Wong shares his insights on the advantages Chongqing possesses as a pilot international consumption center city and how it should work on further improving products and services to raise the city's appeal to ever greater heights.

The Sino-Swiss Technopark was originally conceived as an incubation center for attracting foreign talent and providing them with office space. While originally intended for foreign companies, the pandemic has demanded greater flexibility due to travel restrictions, and now the park has been opened up for domestic local companies.

During the roundtable discussion, Raphael compares the different consumption models for commercial malls in China and Europe, analyses the current business environment in Chongqing and its level of attractiveness to foreign companies, and also shares his own experiences of travel consumption in Chongqing.