Chongqing- Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed promoting high-standard opening up in a report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Efforts will be made to preserve the diversity and stability of the international economic landscape and economic and trade relations.
In Southwest China, Chongqing Municipality, people from different industries dare to think and act, and dare to chase dreams. Building the city into an inland opening-up highland, they are on the way, they are unstoppable.
People visit the 20th CPC National Congress exhibition. (Photo/ Xinhua)
Chongqing's corridor economy connects to the world
In Chongqing, the corridor economy plays a pivotal role in connecting to the world. The China Railway Express is one of the examples to further enhance China-Europe cooperation, in which the Yuxinou (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe) railway is the first China-Europe freight train route.
"The China Railway Express (Yuxinou) was born in response to Chongqing's industrial development needs," said Gao Dong, finance manager of Yuxinou (Chongqing) Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. "Thanks to our current development and growth, the Yuxinou railway has started to boost Chongqing's industries."
So far, the China Railway Express (Yuxinou) has introduced more than 100 billion U.S. dollars of foreign investment and nearly 300 of the world's top 500 companies, with the total value of foreign trade import and export exceeding 400 billion yuan (about 55.2 billion U.S. dollars).
"The Yuxinou railway has become a favorable support for Chongqing's opening to the world," Gao said. "Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, our full-truck trains, cold chain trains, and epidemic supplies are constantly moving in and out of the country and abroad via the Yuxinou Railway and China Railway Express, which made me feel proud and honored to be part of the process."
The 20,000th sea-rail container train on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) left Guangxi Qinzhou Port Station to Chongqing Tuanjie Village Station on August 29. (Photo provided to iChongqing)
In addition to linking Europe, the New International Land-sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) is another crucial route highlighting the China-ASEAN cooperation. The ASEAN is one of the most active regions in the global economy and has retained China's largest trading partner for many years.
"The ILSTC effectively connects China with ASEAN countries, shortening the logistics cycle by more than 10 days," said Liu Yizhen, Assistant General Manager of New Land-sea Corridor Operation Co., Ltd.
Thanks to the ILSTC, Chongqing's agricultural products, like Zhongxian County oranges and Wushan crisp plums, can be exported conveniently.
In the future, more export experiences will be applied to other agricultural goods so that a diverse range of Chongqing's unique products can enter the international market, thus helping to upgrade the agricultural industry and international brands, said Zheng Xian, Transportation Logistics & Aviation Industry Promotion Department at China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Administrative Bureau (CCIB).
Oranges from Zhongxian County were presented in agricultural product trade and distribution. (iChongqing file photo)
China's self-reliance and strength in science and technology
President Xi indicated at the 20th National Congress of the CPC that "we must build China's self-reliance and strength in science and technology."
Jiang Xiaoping is one of the scientific research personnel working in the field of new energy. As a post-doctor at the Beijing Institute of Technology Chongqing Innovation Center, he is currently engaged in the project of intelligent sensing technology for energy storage lithium-ion batteries, a key project of the national research and development (R&D) program of the 14th Five-Year Plan.
Researchers are conducting experiments at the Beijing Institute of Technology Chongqing Innovation Center. (iChongqing file photo)
In 2021, China's lithium-ion battery shipments reached 324 gigawatt-hours (GWh), ranking first in the world, and far exceeding Japan's Panasonic and South Korea's LG. "This makes me feel proud as a peer in the industry," he said. "This also happens to be led by the principals and policies the country adheres to."
The report proposed several keywords closely related to new energy, such as respecting nature, prioritizing ecology, accelerating green transition, and collaborating to promote carbon reduction.
"With China accelerating the steps to develop new energy as one of the strategic emerging industries, my project will provide solid technical support and industrial foundation for its large-scale development and utilization," he added.
Jiang also pointed out that the new energy tends to highlight the promotion of its applications in the future so that it can be used in both urban and rural areas. It will be economical and environment-friendly with universal applicability, benefiting thousands of households.