Chongqing—From May 19 to 21, over 40 journalists from China and abroad visited Chongqing to report on the city's progress in advancing high-quality development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Organized by the State Council Information Office, the media delegation included reporters from the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Japan, and other countries. Chongqing Mayor Hu Henghua briefed the group and answered questions at a press meeting on May 19.
Chongqing has emerged as a vital ecological shield in the upper Yangtze River and a model for green growth, Hu said. The city's GDP surpassed 3.2 trillion yuan (about 446.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, while water quality in its Yangtze section remained excellent for eight years.
The landscape of Chongqing. (Photo/Chongqing Nan'an District)
When asked by The Australian about Chongqing's response to global trade uncertainties, Zhang Yongwu, director of Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, said, "Chongqing's foreign trade has shown steady growth this year," citing strong exports of laptops, cars, and motorcycles. The city is leveraging key policies like the cooperation with the Singaporean government on strategic connections in the economy, transportation, and finance, and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), which connects Chongqing to Southeast Asia through railway and sea transport.
Zhang emphasized Hong Kong's pivotal role as Chongqing's largest foreign investor and second-largest trading partner. Recent developments include the launch of regular Chongqing-Shenzhen-Hong Kong freight trains, daily service to Hong Kong via ILSTC, and the establishment of Chongqing's first joint-venture law firm with a Hong Kong partner.
Li Yan, deputy director of the Port and Logistics Office, addressed questions from Rudaw Media Network, highlighting Chongqing's growing global reach. "Chongqing now ships goods such as building materials and auto parts to Iraqi ports like Umm Qasr and Basrah via rail and river-sea intermodal routes," she said. Chongqing via ILSTC could connect to 555 ports in 127 countries and regions.
In response to The Economist's inquiry about the city's competitive edge in the auto industry, Wang Zhijie, director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, outlined Chongqing's surging production numbers. The city produced 2.54 million vehicles in 2024, ranking third nationwide. Notably, 950,000 of these were new energy vehicles- a 90.5% year-on-year increase.
Chongqing new energy vehicle brands like Changan and SERES are becoming leaders in the Chinese auto market. SERES's luxury SUV, AITO M9, is leading sales of over 500,000 yuan, taking market shares from traditional giants like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. "Chongqing-made cars" are now sold in 164 countries and regions.
Chongqing's green ambitions were also front and center. Mi Benjia, deputy director of Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission, noted that from 2020 to 2024, Chongqing's GDP has grown at an average of 5.6% annually during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and energy use has risen by 2.4%. The share of new energy in Chongqing's total installed power rose from 6.3% in 2020 to 11.5% in 2024.
"Chongqing has limited energy resources," Mi explained, "so we've focused on bringing in green power from places like Xinjiang and Sichuan." Future plans include the expansion of ultra-high voltage (UHV) interregional power transmission to channel more wind and hydroelectric energy into the mountainous megacity.