Chongqing – Southwest China's manufacturing hub is accelerating efforts to position itself as a key gateway for European industrial investment, as senior officials, multinational executives and financial institutions converged on the city to expand cooperation in advanced manufacturing.
More than 800 participants joined the industry cooperation conference for the Chongqing Visit by European Advanced Manufacturing Enterprises on November 19, highlighting the rising interest of Europe’s high-tech industries in this inland metropolis.
The industry cooperation conference for the Chongqing Visit by European Advanced Manufacturing Enterprises was held on November 19. (Photo/Chen Zhan)
A central focus of the event was the release of two major development roadmaps that outline Chongqing's next phase of industrial upgrading. One list identifies 523 projects worth about 1 trillion yuan (about 140 billion U.S. dollars) in priority sectors, including intelligent connected new energy vehicles, next-generation electronics, and advanced materials.
A second list provides 161 application scenarios that integrate industry, innovation, supply chains, and talent across emerging fields such as AI-driven applications, low-altitude aviation, future factories and smart healthcare.
Officials said the new roadmaps are meant to give European firms a clearer view of Chongqing's industrial direction. "We will offer the highest sincerity, the most practical support and the fastest services to ensure that companies investing in Chongqing can develop with confidence and long-term stability," said Yang Fan, deputy director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology.
The event produced 28 agreements worth a combined 97.55 billion yuan (about 13.6 billion U.S. dollars), reflecting strong business sentiment despite global economic uncertainties. These include three financial-empowerment projects totaling 85.241 billion yuan, five global projects for Chongqing enterprises totaling 5.7 billion yuan, 13 industrial investment projects totaling 6.609 billion yuan, and seven broader industrial cooperation deals.
Senior officials, multinational executives, and financial institutions gathered in Chongqing to expand cooperation in advanced manufacturing. (Photo/Chen Zhan)
This year's program placed special emphasis on European regional partnerships, particularly with Spain. On November 18, Chongqing held a dedicated dialogue with a 15-member delegation from Spain's Galicia Autonomous Community, focusing on cooperation in consumer goods, biomedicine, automotive components and modern logistics.
Galician companies—from food producers and wineries to biopharmaceutical and audio-technology firms—showed strong interest in entering China's western market when they explored the city of Chongqing. During the interview, Spanish representatives said Chongqing's position as a major inland hub makes it an attractive entry point for Spanish companies seeking distribution and manufacturing opportunities.
Officials on both sides highlighted the strong complementarities between Galicia and Chongqing. Galicia's strengths in food processing and modern services align with Chongqing's goal of building a 500-billion-yuan agricultural and food-processing industry, while Chongqing's fast-growing manufacturing base offers Spanish firms a competitive foothold in China. Both sides agreed to advance cooperation in consumer goods, life sciences, and automotive components.