Chongqing- As an important part of international trade, trade in services is of great significance in building the country's new development pattern. In 2021, Chongqing became the only comprehensive pilot city in the central and western regions to expand the service industry and stimulate new momentum for greater openness. 

Combined with Chongqing, the other four comprehensive pilot projects of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Hainan contribute to 9.3 trillion yuan (about 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars) of added value, accounting for 69.6% of the regional gross domestic product (GDP), higher than the national average of 16.3 percentage points. 

After a year of innovative practice and reform exploration, the Chongqing Municipal People's Government held a press conference to explain the fruitful results in a wide array of fields related to the service sector on May 17. 

Key areas of opening-up 

Based on the local features, Chongqing focuses on expanding and opening the service industry in key areas to empower its high-quality development, ranging from technology, commerce, education, finance, health care, and telecommunications, said Zhang Yongwu, director of Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce. 

For example, Chongqing has accelerated the education cooperation between the city's prestigious colleges and top international universities. Three new cooperative education programs have been added, offering access to international higher education for Chongqing citizens. 

The culture and tourism sector also sees an innovative exploration, like the construction of the import and export distribution center of the Belt and Road Initiative, China (Chongqing)-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Smart Tourism Center, and the Chongqing International Cultural Tourism Window.

Logistics and customs clearance

Logistics and customs clearance is one of the significant sectors to expand opening-up the service industry. 

According to an official of the Chongqing Port and Logistics Office, Chongqing has increased new routes of the New International Land-sea Trade Corridor with the coverage of 107 countries (regions) and 315 ports. The cooperation of the China-Europe Railway Express in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle also shows fruitful results with 33 lines operated, radiating 26 countries and 71 cities. 

Last year, Chongqing was approved to build an air-port type national logistics hub, becoming the only city with three types of water, land, and air national logistics hub in the country. 

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the international air cargo and mail throughput reached nearly 80,000 tons from January to April, with a year-on-year growth of 26%. After the new routes are opened by India's airlines, a total of 108 routes with access to 35 countries and 80 cities will be available in Chongqing. 

Big data and smart technology

In recent years, Chongqing has vigorously developed big data and smart technology. To strengthen data management and improve the digital economic system, the first comprehensive local regulation of data in western China, named Chongqing Data Regulations, will come into effect on July 1. 

Listed in Jiangbei District last year, the Western Digital Trading Center is another crucial project for opening up the pilot data field in the service industry, highlighting the entire process of data transactions. 

The positioning is to build a hub for gathering all nodes and industries of the big data chain in the west for digital, intelligent collaboration. It aims to become a leading data trading place serving the entire industrial chain of the digital economy in China, said a source of the Chongqing Big Data Application and Development Administration.