Chongqing - On the afternoon of November 19, warm winter sunlight streamed through the glass windows of the “Yulinhui” community service hub in Longzhouwan, Banan District, Chongqing. Inside the smart service area, resident Li Wei scrolled through job listings on the mini-program under a staff member's guidance.
One of Chongqing's“Yulinhui” community service hubs.
“In the past, finding temporary jobs meant relying on acquaintances or walking from place to place. It was inefficient,” he recalled. “Now everything—from job type to hours and pay—is right here on my phone. And the work is close to home. It feels secure.”
The convenience at his fingertips and the reassurance in his voice reflect how Chongqing has translated the principle of “people first in Chinese modernization” into tangible, everyday experiences throughout the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). These changes are visible in revitalized neighborhoods, expanding public services, and the smiles of ordinary residents.
Strong Policy Support
In Dadukou District, barber Su Liming is busy styling a customer’s hair in his newly renovated shop. The bright, 40-square-meter storefront with six workstations is a far cry from the cramped two-chair shop he ran three years ago.
The turning point came from a single phone call. “Mr. Su, we saw that you registered interest in a startup-guarantee loan. We’d like to help,” a district employment officer told him.
With guidance through the process, Su obtained funding to upgrade his business. “I was cutting hair when the loan approval message popped up. I was overjoyed!” the 53-year-old said. His income has since multiplied, and his customer base continues to grow.
Stories like Su’s are part of a larger picture. Over the past five years, Chongqing has created more than 3.48 million new urban jobs, kept the urban unemployment rate below 5.5%, and achieved average annual income growth of 6.5%, faster than the overall economic growth rate.
Education has expanded with “learning communities” now covering 82% of schools, while major health resources continue to grow—55 top-tier hospitals have been built, and life expectancy has risen to 79.72 years.
Better Community Services
After work, Li Chuan often heads to a 24-hour gym hidden inside another “Yulinhui” community complex in Yubei Community, Guanyinqiao. “A gym right downstairs that’s open around the clock—this really understands young people,” Li said.
The building houses three themed floors offering shared living spaces, fast-access services, and cultural amenities. From hot meals to childcare, administrative services to leisure classes, up to 80% of daily needs can be met within steps of home.
Across the city, the “15-minute living circle” has become a reality. Residents can dine at community cafeterias, read in neighborhood libraries, attend evening skills classes, and receive medical care at nearby health stations—all within a short walk.
Yuzhong District has also built a “1+N Community Service Matrix,” turning party-service centers into hubs surrounded by upgraded facilities and shared neighborhood resources. One model example is Renhejie Community in Daxigou, which integrates a party service center, community restaurant, study hall, and children’s play area, providing one-stop services for seniors, job seekers, and families.
Citywide, Chongqing has built 1,733 senior cafeterias, completed a three-tier elderly care network, and raised childcare coverage and enrollment above national averages.
Urban Renewal and Ecological Restoration
At the newly transformed Sanlang Enterprise Park—once the historic Chongqing Instrument Factory—visitors now sip coffee beside preserved industrial equipment as cameras click away. More than 140 cultural, media, and tech companies have settled into the revitalized industrial blocks, which now generate nearly 1.2 billion RMB (169 million USD) in annual output.
Newly transformed Sanlang Enterprise Park in Chongqing.
The renovation reflects Chongqing’s guiding philosophy of preserving both the “form” and the “spirit” of the city. Chongqing has renovated 8,074 old residential communities, benefiting 2.32 million households; added 64,000 parking spaces and 13,000 charging stations; and installed 11,500 elevators in older buildings.
Environmental restoration is equally striking. Longjing Lake Park in Dazu District, once plagued by polluted waters from the Taiping River, now hosts joggers, children, and clear reflections of morning sunlight. After comprehensive treatment targeting sewage discharge, livestock pollution, and pipe-network gaps, the river’s water quality improved from below Grade V to Grade II (the second-highest level in the country's five-tier water quality system).
Across the municipality, Chongqing has implemented the ecological framework, eliminated virtually all urban black-odor water bodies, maintained Class II water quality in the Chongqing section of the Yangtze River for eight consecutive years, and achieved 325+ good-air-quality days per year for five straight years.
From securing one person’s job to stabilizing an entire household, from a hot meal to a one-stop service center, from a renovated industrial block to a restored river—Chongqing has woven thousands of practical measures into a warm, people-centered “14th Five-Year” answer sheet. Together, these efforts illuminate the city’s commitment to making modernization not only visible but truly livable.