Chongqing - On May 8, Bridging News conducted an exclusive interview with Park Unbon, the chief representative of the GBSA Chongqing office, discussing the recent cooperation agreement signed between Chongqing Liangjiang New Area and the Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator (GBSA).
"This time, the president of GBSA paid a special visit to Chongqing to reach the strategic agreement," said Park. "This is the biggest achievement since I came to Chongqing seven years ago, and I hope Gyeonggido can cooperate more closely with Chongqing."
This partnership, encompassing economy, trade, industry, science and innovation, and logistics, was highlighted by the inauguration of the GBSA China Innovation Center in Liangjiang New Area, marking it as the first and only innovation center by the GBSA in China.
Discussing recent cooperation between GBSA and Chongqing, Park stated, "In the economic sector, we jointly organized special events for China-Korea economic exchange and cooperation."
A key feature of the event lineup is the annual "G-Fair China (Chongqing)," which takes place during the Western China International Investment and Trade Fair (WCIFIT) and China (Chongqing) International Consumption Festival. This event featured over 50 businesses from Gyeonggido showcasing a variety of products including skincare, household goods, maternity and baby items, and food, thereby enhancing Chongqing's consumer market.
Park emphasized that these initiatives, including cooperation through joint exchanges and collaborative events for science and innovation talents and entrepreneurial competitions, can propel Chongqing towards higher quality development and an enhanced quality of life.
At events such as the Smart China Expo and Chongqing International Talent Exchange Conference (CQITEC), companies from Gyeonggido's Pangyo Techno Valley (PTV), often referred to as Korea's Silicon Valley, participated to promote exchanges in tech R&D and professional development.
"I always promote Chongqing's development images, like Yuxinou, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, and International Consumption Center to South Korea," said Park.
Their cooperation will expand beyond simple commodity trading to encompass technology, service trades, and investments, enhancing interactions and driving growth in Chongqing's related industries.
Gyeonggido, which encircles Seoul, is South Korea's largest provincial region and contributes 25.4% to the nation's GDP. Home to major corporations like Samsung and LG, Gyeonggido leads in several economic indicators, including manufacturing plants, international trade volume, and corporate headquarters.
In recent years, the Liangjiang New Area has attracted 90 South Korean enterprises, including Chongqing Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., bringing in investments totaling $1.96 billion.
(Deng Yawen, as an intern, also contributed to this report.)