“Projects-First” Strategy Drives Chongqing to 57.8% of Annual Investment Goal

On August 14, the twin-line Jingkou Grand Bridge on the Chengdu-Chongqing Middle Line High-Speed Railway was completed. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing - As of July 2025, Chongqing’s key projects drew 277.56 billion yuan (about $38.65 billion) in investment, or 57.8% of the annual plan, underscoring the city’s “projects-first” strategy to drive growth and public welfare.

Prominent among the city’s flagship undertakings is the Chongqing Youth Activity Center in Liangjiang New Area, set to open in September 2025. As the city’s first all-steel modular public building and largest off-campus youth education complex, it blends Chongqing’s landscape-inspired design with strong cultural expression.

By July, Chongqing had invested 55.05 billion yuan in manufacturing and innovation, including 52.39 billion yuan for major projects in smart vehicles, advanced electronics, and new materials, and 2.66 billion yuan for tech-driven facilities in radiative and neutron science. 

Notably, a two billion yuan blood purification industrial park is nearing completion, set to start production in late 2025, expand in 2026, and ultimately generate three billion yuan in annual output and over 2,000 jobs, already reaching 80% of its yearly investment target.

Chongqing’s infrastructure efforts are also advancing steadily, with aggregate city-level project investment exceeding 170 billion yuan. This includes 52.45 billion yuan allocated to transportation (rail and highways), 91.62 billion yuan to urban construction (metro systems, roads, bridges, and industrial parks), 4.76 billion yuan to water conservancy, and 24.8 billion yuan to energy projects. 

Metro Line 15 stands out, with Phase One receiving 29.9 billion yuan, or 79.7% of planned investment, and Phase Two reaching 26.9 billion yuan, or 84%. The line is expected to begin trial operations in 2026, linking major city clusters including Xiyong, Liangjiang, and Longsheng.

Public service sectors are also receiving the financing. Education-related projects have received 8.57 billion yuan, while healthcare initiatives have secured 7.09 billion yuan, both exceeding 60% progress relative to planned timelines.

Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission reaffirmed its dual approach: launching new high-impact projects while speeding up existing ones. The strategy aims to unlock investment potential, meet annual targets, and sustain high-quality growth, with major projects acting as stabilizers and accelerators for long-term economic performance.

Chongqing’s strategic significance as a core city within the Chengdu–Chongqing economic circle further reinforces this trajectory. Accelerating infrastructure upgrades and urban renewal have become essential elements in regional modernization efforts and competitive positioning.