Chongqing - At the State Council Information Office press conference on January 9, Chen Yajun, Deputy Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission, provided an update on the development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle over the past five years.

He highlighted that the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle's GDP was just under 6.3 trillion yuan five years ago. By 2024, it is projected to reach 8.6 trillion yuan (USD 1.17 trillion), a 2 trillion yuan increase over the period. Additionally, the region's share of the national economic output has risen from 6.3% to over 6.5%.

Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone. (Photo/Chengdu High-Tech Zone)

"The Chengdu-Chongqing region has established four trillion-dollar industrial clusters in sectors like electronics, equipment manufacturing, advanced materials, and specialty goods, with auto and electronics output making up over 10% of the national total," said Chen.

He also noted strong growth in the productive services sector, the expansion of modern specialty agriculture, and the rising prominence of the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor.

In terms of innovation, the Chengdu-Chongqing Comprehensive Science Center is now fully constructed, while the Western Science City has officially been established in both Chongqing and Chengdu. The development of China (Mianyang) Science and Technology City is also moving ahead at a faster pace, with several national key laboratories undergoing reorganization. 

On the collaborative front, the Sichuan-Chongqing Innovation Cooperation Program is advancing, and the Science and Technology Resources Sharing Service Platform is now live. It has shared more than 14,000 sets of large-scale scientific research instruments.

At the same time, new breakthroughs have been made in the construction of a reform and opening-up hub. Market access with unified standards has been achieved across regions, and mutual recognition of business licenses has been implemented. 

The country's first specialized Chengdu-Chongqing Financial Court was established to handle cross-provincial financial cases, while the Sichuan-Chongqing Gaozhu New District, the first provincial-level cross-regional development zone, has been set up and is now operational. 

Meanwhile, the region's openness to the outside world continues to grow. The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) routes now connect to 548 ports in 126 countries and regions worldwide. From 2021 to November 2024, the cumulative number of China-Europe Railway Express (Chengdu-Chongqing) trains reached 16,000, accounting for 25.2% of the nation's total CRE train services.

On January 1, 2025, the first China-Europe Railway Express (Chengdu-Chongqing) train of the year departed from Shapingba District, Chongqing, carrying machinery and auto parts. (Photo/Guo Jin)

In environmental protection, a joint supervisory mechanism has been established, leading to a reduction in the average PM2.5 concentration. The country's first inter-provincial joint office for the river chief system was set up, and water quality along the main stretch of the Yangtze River in the Sichuan-Chongqing region has consistently met Class II standards. 

Additionally, pension insurance and housing provident fund transfers are seamless, and 161 medical test results from public hospitals are mutually recognized.

Chen stated that the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle has entered a new phase. In collaboration with relevant departments, the National Development and Reform Commission will continue to drive the development of the economic circle, aiming to accelerate its transformation into a key engine of high-quality growth for the country.