Chongqing- According to a press conference on December 22, during the Second Plenary Session of the Sixth Communist Party of China (CPC) Chongqing Municipal Committee, Chongqing's five-year development goals were further improved with quantifiable and mass-perceived targets. 

It is proposed that the city's gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita GDP will exceed four trillion yuan and 120,000 yuan (approx. 17195.43 U.S. dollars), while the research and development (R&D) investment of the whole society will increase by over 10% annually. 

It is expected that all residents will have a higher per capita disposable income than the national average and that income growth will be higher than economic growth. 

Additionally, the urbanization rate will reach 75%, and the number of days with healthy air quality will be stabilized at about 338 days. Carbon peak and carbon neutrality will be achieved gradually. 

At the Second Plenary Session of the Sixth CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, 19 major initiatives were set out that should be implemented as soon as possible, including optimizing the business environment, developing the city through science and education, promoting the economic development of state-owned enterprises and private enterprises, upgrading digital transformation, and more. 

More measures to benefit people's livelihoods

With the theme of Building a New Era, New Journey, and New Chongqing, the Second Plenary Session highlights five aspects, including the country's high-quality development and people's desires for a better life. 

Chongqing is responsible for multiple significant strategies, including Belt and Road, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and the New International Land-sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), reported Luo Lin, the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee spokesperson.

In order to promote West China's opening up and drive high-quality development, Chongqing should leverage its advantages. 

Chongqing will take more measures to support people's livelihoods and resolve their difficulties, promoting high-quality development and common prosperity. For example, Chongqing should adhere to the priority of employment and speed up the development of education, medical care, elderly care, and other social undertakings. 

Building a modern industrial system via manufacturing

According to Lan Qinghua, director of Chongqing Economic and Information Technology Commission, Chongqing will concentrate on industrial innovation, low-carbon, and enterprise cultivation as the Second Plenary Session emphasized the development of a modern industrial system, giving priority to the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry.

Chongqing will build two trillion-level industrial clusters of intelligent networked new energy vehicles and electronic information manufacturing, creating a series of characteristic industrial clusters from integrated circuits and intelligent equipment to biomedicine and new energy. 

The traditional pillar industries should be upgraded simultaneously to accelerate the high-end, intelligent, and green transformation of electronics, automobiles and motorcycles, equipment manufacturing, consumer goods, and materials. 

Furthermore, Chongqing should expand green industries in key areas like energy-saving and environmental protection equipment, build a green manufacturing system, and develop green products, factories, parks, and supply chains. 

Chengdu, Chongqing improved economic strength

As one of China's significant development strategies in Southwest China, the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle was highlighted in the Second Plenary Session. It is also highlighted in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC as an example of "coordinated regional development."

The Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle achieved 7.4 trillion yuan in 2021, a growth rate of 8.5%, accounting for 6.5% of the national GDP. 

According to Zhao Baoquan, deputy director of Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle has achieved successful results, with improved financial strength and increased reform and opening up.

For example, Chengdu and Chongqing have jointly built a high-level pilot free trade zone and a comprehensive bonded zone and have been approved as a national logistics hub for production services. 

In the first three quarters of 2022, Sichuan-Chongqing's total import and export volume achieved 1.36 trillion yuan, and the actual use of foreign capital was 3.887 billion U.S. dollars.