Chongqing - The Chongqing government announced on May 16 that the newly approved Chongqing International Railway Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone is set to become Western China's largest hub for vehicle industry imports and exports.

Domestic cars are lined up at the vehicle port of Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park, ready for global shipment. (Photo/Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park) 

According to Xiao Qinghua, the district mayor of Shapingba District People's Government, the zone aims to attract investments and develop a comprehensive industrial ecosystem, including the vehicle industry chain, integrated cold chains, and railway equipment manufacturing.

The Chongqing International Railway Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone covers 0.75 square kilometers within the Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park. Adjacent to the Chongqing Railway Port, it integrates with the China-Europe Railway Express (CRE) and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC).

The Logistics Hub Park sees nearly 4,000 international train departures annually, with the railway port handling around 100,000 vehicle imports and exports. Pharmaceutical imports account for 70% of the city's total customs clearance value.

The bird-view of Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park. (Photo/Guo Jin)

Xiao stated that the bonded zone includes bonded logistics centers, vehicle and meat ports, 360,000 square meters of logistics and warehousing space, and standard workshops. New fences, checkpoints, inspection areas, and advanced security systems are set for completion by next March.

The bonded zone aims to become Western China's premier hub for vehicle industry imports and exports, offering services like automobile modification, testing, repair, and logistics. It also supports the international sale of Chongqing-made automobiles, boosting its global market presence.

Xiao emphasized attracting investments in key sectors like the vehicle industry chain, integrated cold chains, and rail equipment manufacturing. This includes R&D, testing, procurement, and distribution services. Deals with companies like German Carlsson and Zhenyan Shengji Robotics are expected to boost foreign trade to over 8 billion yuan (about USD 1.1 billion).

Further innovations include upgrading railroad port technology, expanding the multimodal transport single-window system, and broadening the use of digital bill of lading to set new international railway standards for new energy vehicles.

Chen Hai, deputy commissioner of Chongqing Customs District, stated that in Q1, the city's six comprehensive bonded zones accounted for 64.7% of Chongqing's foreign trade, totaling 103.61 billion yuan. The new Chongqing International Railway Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone is a key step in making Chongqing a central logistics hub, covering rail, road, water, and air channels.

Chongqing Customs District will use advanced technology to refine supervision, allowing businesses to benefit from streamlined policies like "classified supervision by status" and "selective tariffs on domestic sales" for more efficient customs clearance.