Chongqing - On February 5, the Communist Party of China Chongqing (CPC) Municipal Committee held its first Spring Festival meeting. At the meeting, it proposed upgrading the "Six Zones and One Highland" development framework to position Chongqing as a leader in the western region, enhance its national influence, and reinforce its distinct identity.

The birview landscape of Chongqing. (Photo/Zheng Yu)

The "Six Zones" include the leading zone for high-quality development in western China, the inland opening-up international cooperation zone, the leading zone for comprehensive deepening of reform, the demonstration zone for modern megacity governance, the demonstration zone for urban-rural integration and rural revitalization, and the leading zone for building a Beautiful China. The "One Highland" focuses on strengthening Party building across the city.

The "Six Zones and One Highland" development framework. (Graphic/Zheng Ran)

Yuan Jiajun, secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, emphasized the need to continue expanding the "33618" modern manufacturing cluster system, promoting the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation and the infusion of the digital and real economies. 

He also outlined the implementation of the "Artificial Intelligence+" initiative to stabilize and boost the real estate and construction industries, increase the influence and attractiveness of Chongqing as an international consumption center, and strengthen the Western Financial Center.

He urged the construction of the inland opening-up international cooperation zone to achieve breakthrough progress, accelerate the creation of a modern multi-modal transport and logistics system, enhance the efficiency of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, promote the upgrading of the China (Chongqing) Pilot Free Trade Zone, and focus on building the Chongqing Hub Port Industrial Park. 

He also emphasized marking the 10th anniversary of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Project on Strategic Connectivity (CCI) and deepening high-level domestic cooperation.

Yuan further called for significant progress in the comprehensive reform zone, accelerated state-owned enterprise reforms, created a highland for private sector development, and made breakthroughs in building a social credit system.

He stressed the importance of advancing the demonstration zone for modern governance in megacities, enhancing Chongqing's digital capabilities, significantly improving the coordination and operational capacity of the city's digital governance centers, and pioneering new systems for integrated urban governance. The creation of a "15-minute high-quality living service circle" and bolstering the city's safety were also priorities.

For the urban-rural integration and rural revitalization demonstration zone, Yuan emphasized accelerating the development of the "Two-hour Chongqing" transport circle, promoting the growth of sub-central cities like Wanzhou, Yongchuan, and Qianjiang, strengthening urban resource aggregation, advancing the digital transformation of agriculture, and expanding income opportunities for farmers.

Lastly, Yuan urged breakthroughs in the Beautiful China demonstration zone, including significant water, air, and waste management strides. He called for integrated ecosystem protection and systematic governance, improved enforcement of the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River, continued biodiversity protection, and the creation of a unified, beautiful cityscape. 

Efforts should focus on building a green, low-carbon development system and platform, establishing a new type of energy system that is safe, efficient, and green, and ensuring the ecological security of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.