The cityscape of Chongqing. (Photo/Chongqing Liangjiang New Area)
Chongqing - Technology takes center stage as global business leaders gather in Chongqing for the 20th Meeting of the Chongqing Mayor's International Economic Advisory Council (CMIA) from September 22 to 23. With a record number of senior executives attending in recent years, the meeting explores new opportunities in innovation, technology cooperation and industrial development.
The 16th Annual Meeting of the Chongqing Mayor’s International Economic Advisory Council focused on the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and was held in Chongqing in 2021. (Photo/Secretariat of the 17th Annual Meeting of the Chongqing Mayor’s International Economic Advisory Council)
Many council members are leaders in technology
In recent years, zero-gravity seats have gradually become an important selling point for automobiles thanks to their outstanding comfort. However, they also carry risks, such as reduced seatbelt fit, an increased risk of shoulder slippage, and insufficient submarining support in a collision.
In 2025, Adient, a leading global automotive seat supplier and advisory company of the CMIA launched Z-Guard, an industry-first safety solution for zero-gravity seats. Developed in Chongqing, the technology made its global debut in the city.
Their solution adopts an active cushion retraction system that can quickly adjust the occupant's posture at the moment of impact, significantly reducing the impact on the spine. It is also equipped with an adjustable seatbelt outlet that can accommodate different body types and seating postures, improving restraint effectiveness and effectively avoiding the risk of shoulder slippage.
Adient is not alone. Many of the advisory companies are essentially technology enterprises and leaders in their industries.
Corning is one of the global leaders in materials science. In December 2023, Corning's Gorilla Glass melting furnace in Chongqing was ignited in Liangjiang New Area, marking the first time Corning achieved local production of Gorilla Glass in China.
AT&S is the world's leading manufacturer of semiconductor packaging substrates and printed circuit boards. In 2016, AT&S's Chongqing plant went into operation, becoming China's first high-end semiconductor packaging substrate plant and filling a gap in the domestic industry.
This year’s council will welcome three new members: AUMOVIO Group, Lear Corporation and Vibracoustic.
AUMOVIO Group is a German technology company focused on autonomous driving, automotive electronic architectures, safety control, and user experience.
In October 2025, AUMOVIO Group signed a partnership agreement with Yinwang Intelligent to collaborate on the joint development of intelligent vehicle control products and the co-building of a digital foundation ecosystem. The latter has also established deep capital and technological cooperation with Avatr, a homegrown Chongqing automotive brand.
Lear Corporation is a globally leading supplier of automotive seating and electrical and electronic systems. In December 2025, the Lear (Chongqing) Seat R&D Center was signed and established in Shapingba District, Chongqing, marking Lear's first independent R&D institution in southwestern China and bringing its R&D team closer to partners.
Vibracoustic is a German company specializing in the R&D and production of automotive vibration control systems. In July 2023, Vibracoustic's new Chongqing plant officially began production in Liangjiang New Area, with a total investment of approximately RMB 170 million (about 25.38 million USD).
It mainly produces noise, vibration, and harshness products, providing high-quality product solutions for automotive manufacturers in Chongqing and across China.
A relevant official from the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce said the advisory council’s company lineup shows a strong technology focus, allowing members to provide more professional insights on innovation and industrial development.
Advisory enterprises fuel Chongqing’s innovation
For Chongqing, these advisory enterprises are not simply showcasing their capabilities; they are helping advance the city’s technological development through concrete projects and industrial investment.
As a pillar industry in Chongqing, automobile manufacturing has long faced a production challenge: detecting faulty components. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) often rely on technicians listening for abnormal sounds in dedicated soundproof rooms to identify problems.
This inspection method is stressful and inefficient, while also unable to cover every product, making only spot checks possible.
In January, HP, one of the advisory enterprises, launched its first product from the China HP AI Innovation Center, an AI acoustic inspection all in one machine, as the center officially opened in Liangjiang New Area.
The device deeply integrates acoustic sensing technology with AI algorithms, replacing traditional manual human-ear inspection with intelligent technology: by collecting and analyzing acoustic data generated during machinery operation, it accurately identifies product quality defects.
Featuring millisecond level response, up to 99.9 percent inspection accuracy and dozens of times higher efficiency than manual checks, the solution eliminates the need for costly soundproof rooms and helps reduce production costs.
Qualcomm, a global computing leader and communications technology contributor, established Chongqing Thundercomm Smart Technology Co., Ltd. with Thundersoft in 2016 to drive innovation in AI, 5G, IoT and cloud computing, providing smart modules, development kits and reference designs for global original OEMs and original design manufacturers.
Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy technology, has cooperated with Wanzhou Vocational Education Center for a full decade. Together they led the establishment of the "Wanda Kaiyun" Green Manufacturing Industry-Education Consortium, cultivating a large number of talents for the region's technological strength.
On the industrial front, AT&S announced in May an investment of tens of millions of euros to expand capacity at its Chongqing plant, meeting rising demand for advanced microelectronics packaging and high end semiconductor substrates.
Siemens and a Chongqing based fiberglass and composite materials company are also exploring industrial edge computing and artificial intelligence applications to improve energy efficiency, boost production, and support industrial 5G adoption in Chongqing and western China.
According to the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, as of this year’s meeting, advisory council companies had invested more than $100 billion in Chongqing, generated over 2 trillion yuan (about 298.6 billion USD) in import and export value, and supported more than 700,000 jobs.
Behind these figures is Chongqing’s transformation from building its electronic information and semiconductor industries from the ground up to turning advisory companies from investors into technology partners.
Turn tech ideas into industrial applications
In July this year, the Ninth Plenary Session of the Sixth Chongqing Municipal Committee proposed that the city build itself into a science and technology innovation center in the western region, a source of modern industrial innovation with national influence, and an innovation-oriented open cooperation hub linking the world.
In terms of foundation, Chongqing's comprehensive science and technology innovation level index has ranked first in the western region for seven consecutive years, entered the global top 100 science and technology innovation centers for the first time, and ranked 35th in the global ranking of scientific research cities.
Against this backdrop, advisory enterprises can provide technology judgment and resource matching from a global perspective, helping more cutting-edge technologies such as AI land in Chongqing faster.
For example, this year's meeting added for the first time a special exhibition of Chongqing's science and technology innovation achievements at the venue, showcasing high-tech achievements in fields such as intelligent connected new energy vehicles, equipment manufacturing, the low-altitude economy, and biomedicine.
Beyond showcasing technologies, the meeting also aims to serve as a matchmaking platform, connecting supply and demand so visiting guests and Chongqing’s science and technology enterprises can exchange expertise and explore cooperation opportunities.
Ye Lina, deputy director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, said this year’s advisory council focuses on technology, targeting key areas such as smart manufacturing, digital technologies and high end equipment to align with Chongqing’s 15th Five Year Plan for innovation development.
The meeting also aims to turn global expertise into policies, innovation projects and industrial outcomes, bringing new momentum to Chongqing’s innovation driven growth.