Chongqing - International businesses can explore 111 investment opportunities totaling 83.3 billion yuan (about 12.47 billion U.S. dollars) in Chongqing, as the southwestern Chinese city seeks global partners in new-energy vehicles, electronics manufacturing and services supporting industry.
The projects were presented Thursday at the International Industrial Investment Cooperation Dialogue in Yongchuan District, where government officials, multinational companies and international business representatives discussed opportunities in manufacturing, technology and services.
The International Industrial Investment Cooperation Dialogue Chongqing Session is held in Yongchuan District, Chongqing, on October 22, 2026. (Photo/Zheng Ran)
The investment list covers 40 projects in new-energy vehicle manufacturing, valued at about 38.7 billion yuan; 33 projects in next-generation electronic information manufacturing, worth 25.4 billion yuan; and 38 producer-services projects, totaling 19.2 billion yuan. The figures represent investment opportunities, not confirmed contracts or completed investments.
Chongqing is positioning the initiative around its existing industrial base. Deputy Mayor Huang Maojun said the city's gross domestic product reached 2.57 trillion yuan in the first three quarters of 2026, up 4.3% year on year.
The city produced 2.788 million vehicles in 2025, including 1.296 million new-energy vehicles, according to figures cited in Huang's remarks. Its electronic information manufacturing output reached 1.24 trillion yuan last year, with Chongqing accounting for about one-third of global laptop production, he said.
Changan Automobile's intelligent factory in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area. (Photo/Zheng Ran)
Zhang Huanteng, director-general of the Department of Foreign Capital and Overseas Investment at China's National Development and Reform Commission, said the country would continue expanding high-standard opening-up, improving the business environment and encouraging foreign investment in advanced manufacturing, modern services and high-technology industries.
China removed all market-access restrictions on foreign investment in manufacturing under its 2024 national negative list, which took effect on November 1, 2024. The list reduced the number of restrictive measures from 31 to 29.
Zhang also highlighted efforts to direct more foreign investment toward central and western China, where local industrial capabilities and market access can offer opportunities for international companies seeking to expand their operations in the country.
Foreign investment meets local supply chains
For some companies, the appeal lies in combining policy support with established industrial clusters.
Chongqing Maite Optoelectronics, a China-Japan cooperation project involving BOE Technology Group and Japan's Hoya, manufactures photomasks, precision components used in semiconductor and display production.
Deputy General Manager Zhang Hui said the project qualified for policy support for imported production equipment. Local authorities also assisted with project approvals, construction coordination and environmental acceptance, allowing the factory to move from construction to production in less than two years.
The company plans to reach full production capacity in 2027. It also wants to source more chemicals, energy-saving consumables and testing services locally, provided suppliers meet its quality requirements.
Zhang said the company hoped to deepen cooperation with display manufacturers in Chongqing and neighboring areas, while helping introduce more international suppliers to the local industrial chain.
Industrial AI creates new opportunities and challenges
Digital transformation is another focus for international investors.
Han Lei, vice president of Siemens Ltd., China, said the country's extensive manufacturing base provides a wide range of industrial scenarios for developing and applying artificial intelligence.
Digital twins, for example, allow engineers to simulate products and production processes virtually before testing them in the physical world, helping identify problems earlier and shorten development cycles.
But Han cautioned that industrial AI is more difficult to implement than consumer-facing applications. Factories differ in equipment, production processes and operational requirements, and companies are reluctant to use live production lines as testing grounds for unproven systems.
The challenge is not simply developing more capable AI models, he said, but integrating them with industrial expertise and production data.
Siemens has worked with manufacturers in Chongqing, including Changan Automobile, on digitalization and intelligent manufacturing. Han said the company was interested in further cooperation with Yongchuan in industrial AI, smart manufacturing and talent development.
Services could support companies going global
International business representatives also pointed to opportunities beyond manufacturing.
Morrison Cleaver, a policy analyst at the China-Britain Business Council, identified healthcare, life sciences and professional services as promising areas for cooperation between British and Chongqing companies.
Morrison Cleaver, a policy analyst at the China-Britain Business Council. (Photo/Zheng Ran)
"Over the next five years, services are where we probably see the biggest opportunity for expanding business cooperation between Chongqing and UK enterprises," he said.
Cleaver said British professional-services firms could help Chinese companies expanding overseas navigate local regulations and business environments. Such support is becoming increasingly important as companies enter markets with different regulatory requirements.
Han Yulong, vice president of the China-Arab Science and Technology Association, said cooperation between China and Arab countries was moving beyond traditional energy trade toward technology collaboration and industrial development.
He identified new-energy vehicles, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence as potential areas for cooperation, noting that Chongqing's manufacturing capabilities could complement investment resources and application opportunities in Arab markets.
From Transport Volume to Higher-Value Services
Logistics infrastructure is another part of Chongqing's investment proposition.
Zhang Yang, chairperson of Yuxin'ou Liangjiang (Chongqing) Industrial Development Co., Ltd., said the company was shifting its focus from expanding transport volumes to improving service quality and efficiency. In 2026, the value of goods per container had increased 37% year on year, while local Chongqing companies accounted for 76% of the company's customers, according to Zhang.
The container of YUXINOU. (Photo/YUXINOU)
The figures reflect the company's growing role in supporting local manufacturers as they expand into international markets.
Beyond its cross-border transport network, Yuxin'ou is investing in logistics infrastructure and local services in overseas markets. Its overseas warehouses and warehousing facilities along rail routes in Europe cover more than 400,000 square meters, with key locations including Duisburg in Germany, Malaszewicze in Poland, Budapest in Hungary and Istanbul in Türkiye.
The China-Europe Railway Express (Yuxin'ou ) transports freight from Chongqing to Europe via routes connecting the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. (Photo/YUXINOU)
Zhang said the goal was to make international rail transport more responsive to the needs of local manufacturers. The company is also developing integrated logistics services connecting the China-Europe Railway Express with the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, linking European markets, Chongqing and ASEAN through a wider network of transport routes.
For investors, these transport links provide options for moving goods across regional and international supply chains. Combined with Chongqing's manufacturing base and the investment opportunities announced at the dialogue, they also create potential demand for warehousing, trade services and industrial logistics.